Saved By Love
by Florence D. P. Snape
Summary: Translation. This fic tells almost 30 years of Snape's life. Get ready to love, hate and want to hug him. (NC-17)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

**Hogsmead **

**May, 1976**

"Freedom, finally!"

Those were the most heard words that afternoon. After a lot of insistence, the 5th year students from Durmstrang and Hogwarts got their well-deserved weekend off before their finals. Their chosen destination: Hogsmead.

"It was supposed to be our weekend off. And now all these people are here, ruining it!" said one dark-haired boy from Hogwarts to his three friends, all of them sitting at a table inside the crowded Three Broomsticks.

"If it's not to your liking, get out." said a female student from Durmstrang as she walked by their table.

All four boys acted like they had been stupefied by her words, not even the dark-haired boy, James Potter, said anything back.

When the boys came to, the beautiful Durmstrang girl and her friends were no longer in the bar.

* * *

Four Slytherin boys were sitting at a table nearby, laughing hard at the stupefied Gryffindor teens.

"Who is that?" asked a really blond teenager named Lucius Malfoy.

"She's from Durmstrang." said Avery.

"Oh, really, Avery?" said Malfoy, sarcastically. "Thanks for telling me that, otherwise I'd have never known she's not from Hogwarts since she's wearing the Durmstrang uniform!"

"Yeah, they came here to visit Hogsmead and they'll have dinner at Hogwarts tonight, before going back to Durmstrang tomorrow morning." said Nott.

"How do you know that?" asked Avery.

"If you paid attention to what the Headmaster says you would know it too." answered Nott.

One of the boys, with long dark-hair, dark eyes, taller than the others, only listened to his friends and looked at the Durmstrang girl that was passing by their table to go to the exit door. She was gorgeous. Long, brown curly hair, dark green eyes, as dark as the darkest emerald. When she walked close to their table all the teens there felt stupefied.

"Wh-what was that?" asked Malfoy once he came to.

"She's __veela__!" exclaimed Nott.

"__Veela__? So she's French." said a confused Avery.

"What would a __veela__ be doing in Durmstrang?" asked Snape.

"That's really weird, isn't it?" asked Malfoy.

"Really weird." agreed Snape.

* * *

By the rest of the day, and while walking back to the castle, Snape couldn't stop thinking about her. __The Durmstrang girl__. The way her eyes shone in that briefly moment they met his. And the sweet perfume she left in the air when she walked by their table. There was no way to forget her.

* * *

**That night, at the Great Hall in Hogwarts... **

"Good night, children", started Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. "Before we begin attacking our food, I want to invite our guests for tonight to enter the Great Hall. Please, welcome the students from Durmstrang who will enjoy dinner with us tonight."

And the big oaken doors opened and 42 students, in line, all wearing Durmstrang uniform, got into the Great Hall. Among the few girls, there she was. The beautiful girl who talked down to James Potter.

The Durmstrang students sat at the four big tables. The __veela __girl sat at the Slytherin table.

"I hope you enjoy our feast!" said Dumbledore, looking at her for a moment, thinking who she reminded him of. "Let's attack!"

And lots and lots of beautiful fragrant food filled the tables.

"So, we must agree that's impossible to compare Hogwarts to Durmstrang, right? There you really learn things." said the super blond boy, sitting in front of her.

"I'm sorry, Mr…?" she said, in a melodious voice.

"Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy."

"Mr. Malfoy, enlighten me, please. Why are you here, sitting with the students when you're not wearing their uniform?"

"I've already finished school." said Malfoy, pompously. "I was visiting Hogsmead with my father when the Headmaster invited us to come dine at the castle. My father declined it but I decided to accept the invitation."

The beautiful girl just stared at him, not saying a word. She turned around, looking at the teachers and the Headmaster. In her mind came her father's voice, repeating all the things he used to say about Dumbledore: __Powerful but senile, muggle-lover. A liar and an exceptional manipulator, but too weak to embrace all his powers.__ __Well... he doesn't seem to be right in the head anyway... I was expecting more from the famous Dumbledore.__ She thought.

Aside from the disappointing Headmaster, Hogwarts was magnificent. It wasn't that she disliked Durmstrang, on the contrary, she really loved everything she learned there: Dark Arts, Poisons, Duels. But she was totally taken by Hogswarts's castle, by the huge and beautiful grounds, by the peace and serenity that seemed to exist inside those walls. And peace was something she hardly knew, peace didn't exist where she came from. So she made a decision. She would come to Hogwarts. She was going to be a student in that beautiful castle.

* * *

After she finished eating, she got up and walked toward the big oaken doors. Right behind her an interesting dark-haired boy was walking. She had already noticed him earlier that afternoon at the Three Broomsticks. Reaching some big moving stairs and not knowing what to so, she turned around and asked him:

"Excuse me, to whom may I talk to be able to use the Floo Network?"

Snape stopped, looked at her and answered:

"I believe any of the teachers can help you.", then he left quickly, hiding his trembling hands.

She waited for a while by the oaken doors, until a teacher came out of the Great Hall.

"Excuse me, I'm from Durmstrang and I'd like to know if it's possible for me to use the castle's Floo Network."

"If it's urgent, you may follow me and we'll go to the Headmaster's office. His fireplace is the only authorized one." said the stern-looking female teacher.

* * *

Opening her eyes, waiting for the usual dizziness she felt when using the Floo Network to go down, she looked around the living room and noticed that the house seemed empty. All the lights were off, no noise could be heard and no elves could be seen. She walked toward the stairs but lights from the room she called Training Room caught her attention.

That room was never used, as far as she knew. Her father only used it to teach her advanced spells and dueling techniques – what he called "things no school will ever teach you". The door was a bit open so she looked inside the room; and what she saw there changed the whole course of this story.

* * *

Inside the big, usually empty room, there was a big table, and around 20 people were sitting around it. Silence. Absolute silence. A big wooden chest was in one corner of the room, near the huge fireplace. In front of the fireplace there were two people, one of them was seated on an armchair she had never seen before. The other one was standing by it, and he was the first one to speak:

"Don't worry, My Lord. Hogsmead won't be checked tonight." said the man, in a shaky voice.

"So I expect, Avery. Make it so you deserve the Mark that was given to you." answered the man on the armchair, in a soft, chilling voice.

The girl recognized that voice. That was her father on the armchair. She had the impulse to scream to all in that room to run away for their lives because it was never good when her father spoke softly like that.

"Now, open the chest behind you, Avery. Your friends did you a favor and got rid of that muggle whore of yours. Find some place to dump the body, will you?"

Chilled to the bones, Avery opened the wooden chest as ordered and what he saw there broke his heart and tears fell down his face.

"Crucio!" her father cast. And Avery was screaming on the floor.

"I'm sorry, My Lord." cried Avery, folding into himself on the floor.

"Don't ever get your hands dirty with a muggle again", said the girl's father.

"N-never, My Lord. Never again!" Avery raised his shaking self up from the floor and took the body from the chest. He was walking to the door when he heard the soft voice again:

"Before you get yourself killed and die without knowing, the muggle bitch was pregnant." and the voice paused for a moment, looking at the others in the room. "I don't need to remind you all what our objective is, do I?"

Murmured __'Nos'__ could be heard.

Avery kept walking slowly to the door with the corpse in his arms.

The girl jumped away from the door. She ran to her bedroom, her heart in her throat, beating madly. She sat on her bed, trying to understand all that she had heard, what all that meant. Her father was the-one-who-shall-not-be-named. Her own father was that monster. __He had never been a loving father but that didn't mean he was a murderer.__ Well, apparently, after what she'd heard, a murderer was exactly what he was. Her whole body was shaking. __What will I do now?__ She asked herself. __Hogwarts!__ Her mind supplied. That was her only choice.

She gathered as many things as she could and threw them inside a suitcase. She shrank it and put it in her pocket. She got into the house without anyone seeing her, she was going to get out the same way. She reached the first floor, walking as noiseless as she could; she passed by the Training Room, got to the living room and ran to the fireplace. With a handful of Floo powder she entered the fireplace and whispered the name of the one place nearest to Hogwarts she remembered:

"Three Broomsticks."

And among the green flames she disappeared.

* * *

**Author's note: **This is my gift to Snape. I gave him something J.K. was cruel enough to not grant him: happiness and a family.

In this fic, there are a lot (and I mean A LOT) of horrible, bad, cruel, mean, heart-wrenching, upsetting moments. This is Snape we're talking about, I won't mischaracterize him or make his life easy.

This is also my explanation for some Florence girl mentioned in the 5th book by Berta in Dumbledore's Pensieve. Florence "has been seen kissing someone behind the Greenhouses last Thursday".

Also know that English is NOT my first language sooo... get yourselves ready to see some (or many) mistakes. __Oxford Dictionary for Advanced Learners__ is helping me here but we all make mistakes. Please don't focus on my mistakes, try to enjoy the story. I'm trying my best here. Reviews are more than welcome.

* * *

Most dates mentioned here are the originals. I haven't changed any important dates (for example the night the Potters died, when Voldemort came back, the Golden Trio's years in Hogwarts, they are still the same, as are so many other important dates).

* * *

You'll find many sex scenes here. Just warning you.

* * *

**This story is separated into three parts and an Epilogue. **

First Part: from May, 1976, to November, 1981 (chapters 01-36).

Second Part: all in December, 1981 (chapters 37-45)

Third Part: from August, 1991, to August, 1998 (chapters 46-86)

Epilogue: July 2002 (chapter 87)

* * *

Everything you recognize does not belong to me, it's all J.K. Rowling's or WarnerBrother's. NOT MINE (wish Snape were though).


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**Telling The Truth**

She had sent her Patronum to the castle with a message and now she waited for someone to come and get her at the castles' gates.

McGonagall was the one who showed up.

"What are you doing here?" asked the teacher. "You asked to go home less than 30 minutes ago."

"I need to see Dumbledore." said the girl nervously.

McGonagall opened the gates.

"First, what's your name?"

"Florence, Florence... Delacour."

"Ok, Miss Delacour. I'm Professor McGonagall. What is it that you have to speak to the Headmaster?"

"I'd like to talk only to him, please."

McGonagall stared at the girl, her expression showing she didn't like what she was seeing. The teacher took a deep breath and said:

"Ok. Follow me."

* * *

They stopped in front of the statue that led to Dumbledore's office. McGonagall gave it the password (gingerbread) and they walked upstairs and into the office.

"Professor Dumbledore hasn't returned from the Great Hall yet. Please, wait for him here. Don't touch anything. There are lemon drops in this jar, have some if you like it."

"Thank you, Professor."

McGonagall nodded and left the room without any other words.

Florence looked around the office and reality hit her. She was Voldemort's daughter. What would Dumbledore do to her? Would he give her a chance and let her stay in the castle or would he kill her right on the spot? Or maybe he'd use her to try and make her father stop. She was as good as dead if that was the case, her father would never stop his plans to get her back.

What if she told Dumbledore who she was and he sent her away? Where would she go?

She started to panic.

She hadn't thought at all how this talking to Dumbledore would end. She could try to keep her secret, she was a good oclument. _But Dumbledore is probably a great legiliment_. She thought disconsolately.

With her head filled of hopeless thoughts, Florence fell asleep on the chair while she waited for the Headmaster.

* * *

Dumbledore walked into his office and stopped to stare at the girl sleeping on the chair. Once more, she reminded him of someone, he just couldn't remember whom. _What an enigma_. She was half _Veela_, he was sure of it, but she studied in Durmstrang. Her father had probably studied there, but her mother had more likely studied in Beauxbatons. He took a deep breath and woke her up.

"Good night, Miss Delacour. Sorry to keep you waiting so long. McGonagall told me you went home earlier, but now you are back here. How can I help you?"

"I'm sorry if I bothered you… yes, I went home earlier but… there, at home, I saw… I… I don't know how to tell you what I saw." she was visibly nervous.

"I can see you're not well. Let's do this: I'll make us some tea and then you can answer some of my questions, ok?"

"Yes, please. Thank you."

For a few moments they were silent, the Headmaster asked for some tea from the kitchens and less the two minutes later the tea was there, with chocolate cookies.

"Ok, let's begin." said Dumbledore. "Who are your parents?"

Florence gave him a sad smile.

"That's the hardest answer… I'll start telling you about my mom, ok?"

"As you wish"

"Her name was Sophie Delacour. She fell in love with a man and they found out they were victims of The Enchantment."

"They were blessed by The Enchantment, you mean." corrected Dumbledore.

"Whatever. They started living together in a house my mom's family had. A few months later, she found out she was pregnant and didn't want to tell my father, at first, because my dad doesn't like kids very much. She ended up telling him and, contrary to her expectations, he accepted me. After a while, he went on a trip and stayed months away. He started to send my mom lots of money and he came back home to see me being born. He stayed for a fez months but left again and for years we never saw him again. When I was five, my mom discovered she had Draconian Syndrome and she died two years later."

"And since then you've been living with your father." completed Dumbledore. "And his name is?"

"Yes… well, Professor Dumbledore, I grew up in a very good house, I've never lacked for anything and… even when I got expelled from Beauxbatons he understood and enrolled me in Durmstrang with no punishments and…"

"Tell me who is your father?" ordered Dumbledore.

"Tom Riddle" she whispered and closed her eyes, fearing his reaction.

Silence.

Florence opened her eyes after a while and looked at the Headmaster. He no longer had a soft smile on his face. He looked grave.

"I know what you're thinking but it was not him who sent me here!" she said worriedly. "I didn't even know who he was until half an hour ago!" she paused. "He doesn't know I'm here. I went home, saw something… horrible, and ran back here."

"Calm down, child." Dumbledore was smiling again. "As you are on the run, we're not going to ask for your papers and grades from Durmstrang, you'll do the O.W.L.s here in two days and, if you pass them, you'll be able consider yourself a Hogwarts 6th year student, otherwise you'll stay in the 5th year. Deal?"

"Yes! Of course! But where will I sleep in the next two days?"

Dumbledore got up from his chair and took an old hat from a tall bookcase.

"That's what will see now." he said, putting the Hat on her head. "Although, I already know where you might end up sorted to."

_Hm, what a mind._ Whispered the Sorting Hat into her ear. _I see courage, but I also see power! A desire to be the best. No doubt. It's in your blood. _ Then he spoke aloud: "Slytherin!"

"No surprises there." said Dumbledore while taking the Hat off her head. "Now, let's go to the Slytherin common room. You can go to the library if you need to study for the O.W.L.s. and any questions you come to have, you can ask the teachers."

"Thank you so much, Professor Dumbledore. No one has ever done for me what you're doing."

"I believe you, child." he said with a sad smile.

* * *

**REVIEWS!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

**Detention Already**

Snape woke up early, his first class was only at 10 a.m. but he wanted to go to the library to study more.

While he was leaving the boys' dorm he saw her. The _Veela_ girl.

"Durmstrang is moving in now?" he asked her.

"No. But I've moved in. Got a problem with it?" she said looking him up and down. "Good morning to you too." and she left the common room.

"Conceited much?" he whispered.

He went to the library.

She was there.

* * *

Florence saw when he walked into the library, she watched him going to the shelves. He was looking for some book that he didn't find.

Madam Pince walked toward him.

"Need help, Mr. Snape?"

"Yes. I'm looking for Advanced Potions, the 120th edition."

"I'm afraid Miss Delacour arrived here first and got it. Why don't you sit with her and you both can study and even help each other."

He grumbled something and sat at the table next to Florence's.

He tried to ignore her presence, but after two minutes reading the same line of a book he didn't even remember the title, lost in thoughts of her beauty, he threw his quill pen on the table and closed the book, angry with himself.

He heard her soft laughter.

_Miss Delacour._ he thought. _Yesterday she was in Durmstrang, what a hell is she doing here in Hogwarts now?_

There was something about her that annoyed him, made him feel strange and unable to focus.

"You should learn how to close your mind, Mr. Snape." she whispered. "Otherwise anyone can listen to your private thoughts."

He looked at her, angry.

"You shouldn't enter other people's mind uninvited, Miss Delacour." he growled.

"Well... answering your question: I'm here to study, the same as you and many other students. If you wish, you can come here and we can share the book; I'm great in Potions, I can help you."

"I don't need any help!" he replied angrily.

"Suit yourself."

Florence resumed reading the book and making notes, ignoring him completely.

Snape took a deep breath to calm himself down. He got up from his seat and walked toward her.

"Mind if I join you?"

"Of course not." she said, smiling.

He felt stupefied for a moment; he just stood there staring at her.

"What's your first name?" she asked.

He shook his head, trying to feel normal again.

"Severus." he murmured, sitting beside her.

"I'm Florence."

After ten minutes studying together they no longer fought. Instead, they'd found a common love for potions and spells.

Hours passed by and they didn't even notice.

"What time is our first class today, Severus?" Florence asked.

"At 10."

"We'd better run then. We're already late!"

And they ran to the Transfiguration classroom.

"May I know the reason for the delay?" asked McGonagall as they entered the room.

"We were studying at the library, Professor." Florence answered. MvGonagall nodded and Snape went to his seat. "Where may I seat, Professor McGonagall?" Florence asked.

"You can sit with me." said a dark-haired boy with the Gryffindor uniform.

Florence looked at him, recognizing him immediately.

"No, thanks, Black." she said to the boy.

She noticed Snape sitting alone and walked towards him.

* * *

Hogwarts food was the best thing she had ever eaten in her life.

She had lunch with Snape and after lunch they walked side by side back to the library.

"Finally found someone that can stand you, Snivellus." they heard a boy say in the corridor.

Florence and Snape turned around; he with his wand in hand already.

"And you are?" Florence asked disdainfully.

"James Potter, Gryffindor"

"Proud of that, eh?" she snickered. "Is that anything to be proud of?"

"You're dead, newbie." growled Potter.

"Tell me the time and place, Potter." she replied.

"By the lake, fifteen minutes from now." Potter said.

Florence looked at Snape and he nodded.

"Ok. See you in fifteen."

* * *

The Marauders were already by the lake.

"You're not doing it, are you?" asked Remus.

"Shut up, Moony! Delacour has no idea whom she messed with." said Sirius. "I know her and…"

"She's from Durmstrang." interrupted Remus. "And if you don't know, Durmstrang is a school well-known for its big Dark Magic studies.

"So?" asked Potter.

"Didn't you stop for a minute to think that Dumbledore allowed her to take the O.W.L.s with us without her studying a single week here?" asked Remus.

Black and Potter looked at each other, worry in their faces.

"It's too late now." mumbled Pettigrew. "There they come."

"Let's attack first, James." said Black.

* * *

They were 50ft from the Gryffindors when Florence noticed Potter's intention.

"Get ready, Severus. They won't play fair and wait till we get near. Can you hit them from this distance?"

"Maybe."

"So try, now!" and she attacked. "_Expulso_!" and Potter flew back a few feet.

"_Expelliarmus_!" Black and Snape shouted at the same time but both missed.

"_Mobiliarbus_!" said Florence and a tree hit Black, who fell onto the floor and didn't get up.

But Potter was up already and coming toward them.

"_Locomotor Mortis._" cast Snape.

And Potter fell onto the ground again, his legs kicking madly.

"What's happening here?" shouted McGonagall running toward them. "_Finite Incantatem_", she cast and Potter's legs stopped moving. "Detention! All of you! Snape and Delacour, I'll let Prof. Slughorn decide what your detention will be. As for you, Potter, fighting two Slyhterins all by yourself is…"

"I'm not alone, Prof. McGonagall. She" he pointed at Florence "threw a tree against Sirius!"

"Wh-what?! Where is he?" exclaimed McGonagall.

And Potter showed her the fallen tree that Sirius was under. She helped the boy get up and looked at Snape and Delacour once more.

"Miss Delacour. It hasn't been one full day that you're here and you're already on detention. I'll have to inform the Headmaster about your misbehavior."

"I'm sorry, Professor, but they started it." Florence said.

"I don't care who started it, you shouldn't be fighting, that's against the rules! You two must go to Slughorn's office and tell him _exactly_ what happened here."

And the two Slytherins walked toward the castle.

* * *

They knocked on Prof. Slughorn's door.

The Professor soon answered.

"Ah, Severus and… Miss Delacour, am I correct? What brings you two here?"

"We were sent here by Prof. McGonagall. We are on detention."

"How can you possibly be on detention, Miss Delacour, when you just got here yesterday?"

"Black and Potter attacked us by the lake and we fought back." answered Snape.

Slughorn took a deep breath and nodded, staring at them.

"I see you two have become friends. In less than 24 hours you took Snape's enemies as your own, Miss Delacour." both students blushed. "Well, I have some cauldrons that need cleaning. Be at the Potions classroom tonight at 8."

* * *

**7 p.m.**

They were studying at the library.

"We'd better go have dinner, Severus. We have a long night cleaning cauldrons ahead of us."

"Don't remind me." he mumbled.

She smiled at his sour demeanor.

Snape felt stupefied again. When he came to, he started to growl.

"I've already asked you to stop doing that!"

"I don't really know how to stop it. Nor do I know why my smiles affect you so much!" she said in an exasperated voice.

"Let's go to the Great Hall." he said getting up and going to the exit.

* * *

**8 p.m.**

There they were, at the Potions classroom door.

A grumpy Snape and a smiling Florence.

"Why are you smiling?" he asked grumpily.

"Ready for the fastest detention of your life?" she asked smiling.

"What do you mean?"

"You'll see." she answered enigmatically.

They knocked and entered. Prof. Slughorn showed them where the cauldrons were.

"Leave your wands with me. You'll find gloves, brushes, rags and cleaning products near the cauldrons."

They did as the professor asked and started to clean.

Less than a minute later, Snape still scrubbed and Florence had already finished cleaning her first cauldron.

"How did you do it?" he asked astonished.

She got near his cauldron, took her right hand glove off and put her hand inside the cauldron. She closed her eyes, focusing her inner magic to clean it; and it got clean!

She did the same to all the cauldrons and in less than 20 minutes everything was clean.

They went towards Slughorn's table to recover their wands.

"We've finished, Professor." Florence said.

Slughorn looked at her.

"Wh-what? That's not possible, my dear." he got up from his chair and went to see if the cauldrons were really clean. "But... your wands were in my possession all the time and..." he looked at it all, confused. But finding no explanation or reason to keep them in his office, Slughorn gave their wands back. "You're dismissed. Go to your common room."

* * *

Before they'd reached the Slytherin common room, Snape asked in a low voice:

"Wandless magic. How did you do it?"

"I just… I was trained to do it." she murmured, her face showing that it brought up some unpleasant memories. "Don't tell anyone, please. It's not usual and… everybody would treat me as a freak."

"Ok. Don't worry."

They walked to the common room and went in. The fireplace was lit, as always, for it was too humid in the dungeons where the Slytherin common room was.

"Good night, Severus." she said, sweetly, kissing his cheek.

It took him a minute to recover. She waited, looking at him with a soft smile.

"Night, Florence." he finally said.

And they went into their respective dormitories.

* * *

Florence fell asleep with a tall dark-haired, dark-eyed young man in her thoughts.

* * *

Snape stared at the ceiling, thinking about asking Florence to be his date at the Ball that was going to happen after the exams. No one but him would take her to that party.

* * *

**The day before the O.W.L.s**

**2 days for the End of the Term Ball**

When Snape left his dormitory the next morning, he found Florence on the couch, looking up something in a book that looked like a directory.

"Good morning. What are you looking up?" he asked as he got near her.

"I'm looking for someone." she answered without taking her eyes off the book.

"You may think I'm an idiot. It's obvious you're looking for someone, that's an address directory."

"Sorry, Severus." she sighed. "I'm looking for my godmother. She was a big friend of my mother's."

"Do you know her full name?"

"Yes, but only her maiden one. I'm not sure if she was married, I don't even know if she's still alive." she sounded sad.

"What's her name?"

"Eileen Prince."

He stared at her for a while with a soft smile on his lips.

"Your mother is Sophie Delacour?" he asked.

"Yes. How do you know?"

"Well. I know you won't find any Eileen Prince in that directory. You should look up Eileen Snape."

Florence gave a big smile.

"She's your mother?"

"Yep."

Her smile diminished.

"What do you know about my mom?"

"Nothing, really. All I know is that my mom had a French friend who got pregnant and my mother was the baby's godmother. Your mom died and your father forbade you to contact my mom."

"Exactly."

"Do you want to write to her? She'd love to hear from you."

"Of course." Florence closed the directory and got up from the couch. "Let's go to the Owlery right now!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**Expected Visitors**

They were on their way to the Herbology class. But halfway there, Dumbledore intercepted them.

"Go on, Mr. Snape. I need to have a word with Miss Delacour." said Dumbledore.

Snape nodded and resumed walking.

The Headmaster waited until the boy was far to speak again:

"I'll go straight to the point, Florence. Are there any special abilities you may have forgotten to tell me?"

"No." she lied.

"So explain to me how did you and your friend clean all those thirty cauldrons last night?"

"We just scrubbed them really fast and efficiently, Headmaster."

Dumbledore laughed.

"You're really your father's daughter. It was very convenient of you to forget to tell me such an interesting ability."

"Even if I did what you're accusing me of doing." Florence replied. "It was really unfair that we had to clean all those disgusting cauldrons as a punishment for teaching those big-headed Gryffndors a lesson! They deserved what they got."

"Do you really think Sirius Black deserved to be hit by a tree?"

"I have no idea what you're taking about, Headmaster."

"I imagine you don't." Dumbledore sighed. "Make sure such things don't happen again, ok? No more wandless magic inside the castle. Or flying trees."

"All right. I promise I'll behave, as long as those two stupids behave themselves as well."

"I'll talk to them. Now, go into the Greenhouse, I've kept you from your class long enough."

* * *

When she walked into the Greenhouse number Four, Snape was already working side by side with a Ravenclaw girl. So she was paired with a Gryffindor boy named Longbottom.

"I'm a great at Herbology. Not so good at Potions though. You're Florence Delacour, right? I'm Frank Longbottom."

"Yes, pleasure to meet you, Frank."

They began working together and Frank noticed she looked at Snape's direction from time to time.

"Never thought I'd pity Snape, but… Rosmerta is such a pain in the ass." said Frank in a low voice. "She's been telling whoever wants to hear that she and Snape are a couple and that they're going to go together to the Ball."

"Ball? What Ball?" she had no idea what he was talking about.

"The End Of The Term Ball. It'll be the night after tomorrow. If I hadn't already invited Alice to go with me I could invite you but…"

"Can I go by myself?"

"Sure."

They worked a bit more in silence.

"Since when does Rosmerta say she is dating Saverus?" Florence asked.

"Since we were in the third year. She says their destinies are inter-woven. She believes in Divination and stuff like that."

Florence looked at where Snape was and her heart clenched. _Has he already asked Rosmerta to go with him to this Ball?_ she thought, worried.

* * *

When Dumbledore returned to his office he found two men already there waiting for him.

"Mr. Avery. Mr. Malfoy. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

Abraxas Malfoy looked at the man and spoke:

"We're looking for my niece. She's been missing since the night Durmstrang had dinner here in the castle."

"Your _niece_." repeated Dumbledore walking to his chair. "Well, I'm not hiding anyone here. Your problems are your problems. You should go to Durmstrang and demand explanation for her missing status." Dumbledore sat down. "Anyway, search the castle if you must."

"That won't be necessary. If you haven't seen her…" began Avery.

"And I haven't." said Dumbledore.

"We'll be going then." Avery completed.

"Let me know when you find her." said the Headmaster while watching the two men disappear through the door of his office, a smile on his lips.

* * *

Florence and Snape were walking by the castle's doors when she suddenly hid behind a column.

"What are you…?" Snape began to ask, confused.

"Young Snape." said Malfoy stopping in front of him.

"Good Morning, Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Avery." he greeted them respectfully.

"Feeling ready for your… O.W.L.s?" asked Malfoy, clearly meaning something other than the exams.

"Yes, Sir."

"Good." said Malfoy, smiling. "We'll see you soon."

Snape nodded in agreement. And both men kept walking towards the castle's gates.

* * *

Florence came back from behind the column, as if nothing had happened.

"What was that?" he asked her.

"What was what?" she played dumb.

"That! You hiding! Why would you hide from Messrs. Malfoy and Avery?"

"They're You-Know-Who's followers." she breathed exasperated.

"So? That's not enough reason to hide from someone."

Florence stared at him.

"You cannot be serious. Are you telling me that you agree with those lunatics?"

"I am not saying anything."

"You can't join them!" she said under her breath.

"And who are you to tell me what a should and shouldn't do?"

"I'm your friend!"

"I met you yesterday. Don't think so highly of yourself." he said disdainfully.

Florence stopped walking, looking at him as he walked away without looking back at her. She felt the tears flooding her eyes.

* * *

**10 p.m.**

Florence didn't go to the Greath Hall for dinner.

Snape found her reading a book in a corner of the common room, it looked like she had been crying.

What a hell was happening to him? He barely knew her but he felt things for her that confused him.

He approached her.

"Are you still mad at me?" he asked.

She sighed sadly.

"I was not mad at you… I'm just hurt."

"I'm sorry I hurt your feelings…" he said.

Florence stared at him, looking almost angry and said:

"Nothing to apologize for. If you want to be one of them, that's your problem." as she spoke, he could see sadness in her beautiful emerald eyes. "But know this, Severus, outside Hogwarts there are no detentions with dirty cauldrons to clean when you misbehave. There's no Dumbledore out there to save your ass. Things are very different outside school. Every action, be it good or bad, provokes a reaction, one you may or may not like." she closed the book she was reading and stood up. "Do you want to be one of them? Fine. Just don't expect to be forgiven once you regret your choice."

And Florence went to the girls' dormitory.

Snape stayed there in the common room, sitting by the fire, his eyes lost in the flames in the fireplace and his thoughts on her words.

* * *

**Author's note: **this is so deliciously sad. I love when a story makes me suffer! (weird, I know).


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

**The Deal**

Snape woke up early the next day and waited for Florence in the common room.

Twenty minutes of waiting and no sign of her. He went to the Great Hall to have breakfast by himself.

But Florence didn't show up for breakfast.

_Today begin the O.W.L.s I can't be bothered by her missing status! _ he told himself. But he needed to know if anything bad had happened to her; so he walked to the staff table to ask Dumbledore.

"Prof. Dumbledore, can you tell me if anything happened to Miss Delacour?"

Dumbledore stared at him over the rim of his glasses.

"She received a letter from her family earlier this morning and had to leave for a few hours. I believe she'll be back before the exams begin, Mr. Snape."

* * *

Florence was at her mother's house, now her house, in Hogsmead. She was waiting for her father to show up. Tiffany, her house elf, had been there already, waiting for her. Apparently all of her personal belongings, including her elf, had been sent to this house.

She felt sad.

She knew she would miss the house she grew up in. But it was better this way.

Green flames appeared in the fireplace and Tiffany ran towards the kitchen. The elf never liked Florence's father; well, she couldn't blame the poor thing.

"What took you so long?" Florence asked as soon as he dropped his cloak over the couch.

Her father just stared at her and slowly spoke:

"You made me look all over the wizarding world for you."

"Well, I got you letter this morning and I am here now. What do you want?"

"What is it that you intend to do?" he asked, sitting on the couch.

"I'll finish my studies in Hogwarts."

"Under Dumbledore's nose." he interrupted. "I imagine you've told him the truth."

"Yes. And he accepted me."

Her father laughed, emotionless.

"Of course he would accept you. You're my daughter. You're the perfect ally for this Order Of The Phoenix he's trying to create. And he didn't even have to go out looking for you. You just came to him, as if fallen from heaven."

"I have no intentions on taking sides in this stupid war." Florence answered angrily. "I'll move someplace where I can find a college to study Potions and just live my life. Far from all this nonsense. And you, what are your intentions with this war?"

"My objectives are clear."

"Purify the magic world!" she mocked. "Who are you to decide who deserves to live and die?"

"It doesn't surprise me that you fail to comprehend my intentions. Your mother, she put these foolish ideas in your head. She believed in the power of love, and kindness." he replied in the same mocking tone.

"How dare you speak of her like that! She loved you!" Florence exclaimed, angrily.

"And I must admit that she was somehow special to me, but… power, that's the most important thing in the world. Once you see what power and money and influence can do when combined, it's addictive. There's nothing better."

They just looked at each other. Both so similar. The same serious expression, the same hair color.

"Let's make a deal, then." she said. "I won't take part in this war and you'll let me live my life on my terms. You won't interfere in my life or my choices. If I want to befriend muggles, muggleborns or half-bloods, that's my business."

He looked at her for a moment before replying:

"We have a deal." he looked at her for a while longer before getting up and taking his cloak. "Good luck in Hogwarts, although I know you won't need it. The things they teach there are…"

"Ridiculously easy." she completed.

He paused on his way to the fireplace and gravely stared at his daughter.

"Never forget you're my daughter. They might try to use it for their own benefit. And if your opinions ever change, you'll always have a place by my side."

"Thank you, father."

He nodded once and turned around, picking some Floo powder and going into the fireplace, where he vanished amongst green flames.

Florence released a breath she hadn't noticed she was holding.

"Tiffany, you can appear now. He is gone." she told the empty living room.

"Thank you, Mistress." squealed the elf, coming from the kitchen.

Florence reached for the small suitcase she had put her dress, shoes and jewelry for tomorrow night's Ball in.

"I'm going back to Hogwarts, Tif." Florence said. "Get our things ready because soon we'll be going to spend some time at my godmother's house."

Florence said goodbye to her elf and entered the fireplace with some Floo powder in hand. And the green flames took her back to Hogwarts.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

**O.W.L.s**

Florence found Snape sitting under a tree by the lake, a book on his lap.

"Hi."

"So you're back." he said uninterestedly.

"What's wrong?" she asked, not understanding his attitude.

"I've been thinking about what you said yesterday. About actions and reactions, and no more simple detentions for misbehaving. You spoke as if you knew what it is like to be punished out there."

"I do know it, Sev." she murmured, sitting down beside him.

He looked at her.

"_Sev_? That's what you're calling me now?"

"Is that a problem?" she gave him a small smile.

"No problem at all." he blushed slightly. "But what do you mean when you say you know?"

"My father he's a... a follower of you-know-who and..."

"He mistreated you?"

"Not exactly."

"I know how that is, to be mistreated by a person who was supposed to protect you. My father, he was a muggle and he hated magic. He was a selfish piece of shit. He hated to work and made my mother's life miserable."

"That's why you wish to join you-know-who?" she murmured, worried.

"In part, yes."

"Don't do it, Severus!" she said under her breath. "I meant it when I said there won't be nice detentions. When you do something wrong it'll be the _Cruciatus_ or the _Imperius_ curse that will teach you a lesson."

He kept quiet. Not even looking at her.

Florence gave up talking some sense into him. She got up and was going to leave him alone when he held her hand.

"Will you go the Ball tomorrow night?" he asked.

"I don't know. I don't have a date yet."

"Do you want to go the Ball with me?"

She smiled and kneeled beside him.

"Only if you promise me that you'll think about what I asked you not to do."

"Ok, I'll think about it." he said.

"And..." she continued. "You have to let me call you Sev."

He looked at the lake, trying not to smile.

"Ok." he said. "But only when we're alone. I don't want other people calling me that."

"Deal!" she said, smiling, and kissed his cheek before getting up. "Let's go, Sev. We have a Spells exam in 20 minutes."

* * *

Outside the exam room, Florence was waiting for Snape when that girl, Rosmerta, came towards her.

"Your name's Florence, right?" the girl asked.

"Yes. And you're Rosmerta."

"What are your intentions?" Rosmerta asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm here to study, as is everybody else." Florence said, although she knew exactly what Rosmerta had meant to ask.

"I mean, what do you want with _my_ Severus?" Rosmerta asked angrily.

"His mother is my godmother." Florence tried not to laugh at the other girl's face. "I've heard you have a crush on him. I could help you win him over." she lied.

"Really?"

"Why not? If he likes you, I can help you."

"Thank you so much, Florence. I'll go now. Bye."

"Bye."

Snape was leaving the exam room and found Florence laughing in the corridor.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

They began to walk.

"Rosmerta. She asked me what my intentions with _her_ Severus are. And I just said that I'd help her win your heart." she finished, laughing.

"What?" he sounded outraged.

"I was just messing with her!" said Florence, smiling and holding his arm.

"She's so stupid. I don't know how she ended up in Ravenclaw. And me and her is just absurd!"

"She is pretty." provoked Florence.

"But I don't have any interest in her. As I said, she's dumb."

"Never thought you'd prefer the intelligent ones, Sev." Florence joked.

He didn't answer. They went to the Potions exam room.

* * *

Snape left the exam first and was waiting for Florence in the corridor. Rosmerta came towards him, looking furious.

"I heard that you've invited Delacour as your date for tomorrow's Ball! Is it true?" she demanded.

"What I do or don't do is not your business; but yes, I've invited Miss Delacour as my date for tomorrow night. I'd never invite you. Leave me alone." he answered angrily.

"You're in love with her, aren't you?" Rosmerta asked in an accusing tone.

"Leave me alone. I won't say it again." he growled.

Rosmerta turned around and almost ran through the corridor, tears falling down her face.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**The Ball**

It was the night of the Ball.

Snape watched Florence walk out of the girls' dormitory. She was gorgeous. She walked towards him with a soft smile on her pink painted lips. She stopped in front of him and waited for him to say something.

He just looked at her face, noticing the deep green of her eyes, her lips..._ she is so close to me_. - that's all he could think of. She was gorgeous and too close. His eyes traveled again and again from her beautiful eyes to her rosy lips. _So close._

Florence read his thoughts and tipped her head up. Their lips were now a hair's breadth apart. And then he closed the distance, kissing her, softly caressing her lips with his own. He held her bottom lip between his, suckling on it, tasting her cinnamon lipstick. Her right hand went to his neck, her fingertips on his hair.

But the sound of the common room door opening broke their moment.

"We'd better go." she breathed.

He just nodded in agreement.

* * *

**In the beautifully decorated Great Hall...**

They sat with Lily and Remus.

James Potter sat at another table, stealing glances at Lily every few minutes.

Snape and Florence were alone right now; their friends dancing on the dance floor.

"Where were you yesterday morning?" Snape asked.

"At my house in Hogsmeade."

"You have a house in Hogsmeade but were studying in Durmstrang?"

"Yes… I went home to get my things for the Ball." she told him the half-truth. "And also get some things ready with Tiffany. We're going to travel this summer."

"Tiffany?" he asked.

"My house elf."

"Where are you going to?"

"My godmother's house." she said smiling.

He looked at her for a moment, a lopsided smile forming on his face.

"You'll spend summer at my house?" he asked her, his heart jumping in excitement.

"Yes! Last night your mom sent me a letter asking me to join you for the summer. I accepted, of course."

He just stared at her. His eyes showing how happy he was with the news.

"I'll go get us something to drink." he said before kissing her lips and getting up.

* * *

Less than a minute after Snape had left their table, James Potter, visibly drunk, sat beside Florence.

"What do you see in him?" he asked.

"If you came here to annoy me, Potter, you'd better go back to your table."

"No. I mean it." James said gravely. "I don't understand what you see in him." he paused and checked if Lily was still dancing with Remus, she was, then he resumed talking: "What did you do to make him fall in love with you so fast?"

Florence just stared at James, thinking about his words. _Could Severus really be already in love with me? _She knew she was in love with him. It would be amazing if he loved her back.

"So?" Potter asked, breaking her thoughts.

"I don't know what to say to you, Potter. When I first saw him I knew right then that he would be important to me."

"I know how that is…" he murmured, letting his head fall on the table with a loud '_THUD_'.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked getting worried about him.

"I'm in love with Lily since the first time I saw her. But she hates me." James murmured without raising his head.

"Lily Evans? Wow, you're doomed. It looks like she really hates you."

"That's why I wanted to know how did you do it. How did you make Snape open up to you? He was always so unreachable; no one was ever able to make him laugh or talk for a long time. But you… near you he changes, he looks nicer."

"I didn't do anything." Florence said, noticing the enchanted firewhisky bottle James had in his hand. "How much have you drunk already, Potter?"

"A bit." he answered, propping his chin on the table, looking at Florence.

"Why didn't you invite Lily to come to the Ball with you?"

"I did, but she said no. So I asked Remus to invite her so I knew no one else would." answered James almost crying now. He looked over her shoulder and saw Snape. "Well, your boyfriend is coming I'd better leave." and he got up, almost falling, but somehow managing to reach his previous table. And he sat there, alone.

"What did he want?" Snape asked as he sat down.

"He asked me what I have done to make you fall in love with me so fast." she said, staring at the glass he had given her.

"Why would he want to know that?"

Florence suddenly looked at him.

"So he's right, you're in love with me?" she asked, smiling.

Snape got even closer to her, his nose touching hers. He looked into her eyes, answering:

"Obviously."

He captured her bottom lip and nipped at it, softly. She sighed. His mouth teased her jaw, leaving a trail of sweet kisses from her lips to her ear. He bit her neck lightly and whispered in her ear:

"Let's go somewhere else?"

All she could do was nod in agreement. She needed more of his touches and kisses.

They got up and walked out of the Great Hall.

* * *

Snape took Florence to the Astronomy Tower.

"It's beautiful here." she said, walking around the Tower and looking at everything. "I haven't had Astronomy lessons, it's not something that interests me. Do they have classes here during the night?"

"Yes." he walked close to her and embraced her from behind. His hands on her waist, going up to her stomach, stopping just beneath her breasts. Her soft curvaceous body against his. Florence shivered in his arms.

"Flor…" he whispered softly. "That's how I'm calling you. You call me Sev, I'll call you Flor."

She turned around to face him, smiling.

"I like it." she murmured against his lips.

"You're so beautiful." he said, before pulling her closer and kissing her. "And you're mine."

"Who said that I'm yours?" she jokingly whispered after the kiss.

"Do you accept to be mine?" he asked. "My girlfriend."

"Yes." she answered closing her eyes and trying to stop the tears of joy from rolling down her face.

Snape pushed her against the wall, trapping her body with his. His lips on hers, his hands all over her body. He touched her lips with his tongue and she opened up her mouth, welcoming him in.

His touched burned her skin, she felt her heart beating madly, her body responding to his touches eagerly, wanting more and more. She couldn't resist him. The chilly wind blowing through the Tower wasn't enough to cool down her skin.

That was when she felt; her magic calling to his, their energies mingling together.

Snape felt it two and took a step back.

"What was that?" he asked, panting.

Florence looked at him, gasping for air.

"The Enchantment…" she whispered, touching his face. "My mother, she believed that our magic is able to identify other people's magic. As if our inner magic dictated who we are to be friends with or… even lovers. She wanted it to happen to me, she said that it was a blessing to find someone whose magic called yours. She had that with my father, she was his Enchanted, his soul mate. She knew when he was hurt or happy or when he was near home. They had a mental link too. At least they had it for a while before he… let himself be corrupted by dark magic."

"Why are you telling me all this? Do you think we…?" he sounded confused by her words,

"Yes. Didn't you feel it? And now, look…" she put her hand on his chest, over his heart, and there it was. "Your heart is beating in the same rhythm as mine."

"So that could explain why we've been inseparable since we met." he whispered. "Although I disliked you at first." he smiled, pulling their bodies tightly together once more. "And that means that you, gorgeous, clever, amazing girl is indeed all mine." he looked at her and gave her a lopsided smile again.

She shivered.

"You look so sexy with that smile on your lips." she whispered.

And he kissed her, possessively.

"You feel so hot like this, in my arms. I can't control myself." he whispered, pulling her closer.

"That's the _Veela_ part of my blood. It affects you more probably because of the Enchantment." she closed her eyes, his hands were touching her all over, going under her dress, caressing her thighs while his lips and tongue teased the skin of her jaw and neck, making her moan. "You can do whatever you wish to do with me, Mr. Snape. I'm all yours." she breathed.

He growled and pushed her fiercely against the wall again, driving his body against hers; his mouth capturing hers in a possessive kiss. Florence's hands fought against his shirt buttons, his tie was already lying on the floor. His hands kept on exploring her body, going under her dress, making her arch her back, gasping. He nipped at her neck, leaving a trail of wet kisses from her jaw to her breasts.

"Sev, we'd better stop." she panted.

"I agree." he reluctantly agreed. "The scent of your skin is driving me crazy." he said as he smelled her neck.

"I know... now that our magics have recognize each other, they'll make everything and anything to ensure that we stay together." Florence explained. "Our bodies" she touched his chest. "will change too; they'll smell and taste in a way that pleases the other."

He took two steps back, his dark eyes heavy with desire.

"We should go now." he said hoarsely.

* * *

When they got to the Slytherin common room, many couples could be seen there, all over the couches, near the fireplace, in the corners.

Snape found a spot in the wall that was not being used and pushed Florence against the wall once again. He kissed her lips, their tongues dancing together almost aggressively. Her hands on his chest, neck, pulling his hair. Her gasped moans turning the pressure inside his pants almost too painful.

"Sev, please, stop." she pleaded.

"It seems harder to let you go now than it was before." he panted.

"It's how I've said before…the Enchantment will make us wish to never be apart." Florence whispered, touching their lips softly with each word she spoke. "It'll get worse and worse, until we… give in and then this... fire... will calm down but won't ever cease."

He took a deep breath and took some steps back.

"Tomorrow, after breakfast, we're going to my house, right?" he asked.

"Yes. My things are packed and Tiffany is already at your house helping your mom." she looked at him. "Good night, Sev."

"Good night, Flor."

And they both went to their respective dormitories.

* * *

**Author's note:** it's getting hot in here, don't you agree?


	8. Chapter 8

****Chapter Eight****

****At Eileen's House****

Soon after breakfast they walked toward the carriages that would take them to the train.

* * *

**6 hours later they got to King's Cross.**

Eileen was there already, at the platform, waiting nervously to see her godchild. When she spotted her son, hand in hand with a gorgeous brown-haired girl, she ran towards them.

"Severus! Florence!"

Eileen hugged her son and then turned to look at Florence.

"Look at you! You are so beautiful and so grown up." she stared at them and remember something. "Hey! I saw you two holding hands just a moment ago!"

Snape and Florence blushed.

Eileen laughed and they Disapparated.

* * *

Eileen's house at Spinner's End was not luxurious but it was clean and she did all she could to make it look homey.

"Florence you may leave you bags in my room." Eileen said as they entered the house.

"I don't want to bother you, godmother…"

"It's no bother having you here, my dear. But our house is not big, we only have two bedrooms, that's why you're sleeping in mine."

"I can sleep on the couch, mom." said Snape. "Florence can have my room."

"I can't take you out of your own room, Severus." Florence said.

"I insist." he replied.

"Ok, then. I'll accept it." Florence said.

* * *

In the kitchen, Tiffany had already prepared dinner.

"Hi, Tiff." Florence greeted her elf.

"Mistress Florence!" Tiffany screamed in delight, running to hug Florence's legs.

"I'm really considering getting myself an elf, Florence." Eileen said, entering the kitchen. "Tiffany has been a blessing here. She got here yesterday and she has already cleaned the whole house and made me breakfast this morning. She's adorable."

The three of them sat at the table.

Eileen looked at her son and the beautiful girl by his side.

"I'm so happy that you're here, Florence. I thought I'd never see you again."

"I'm happy to have found you too, Eileen."

"And I know what I saw earlier. I saw you two walking hand in hand at the platform. Now, tell me!"

"We're dating." Florence answered, looking at a blushing Snape. "Officially, since yesterday."

"Your mother must be very happy, Florence." Eileen said, smiling. "When we were pregnant, she used to say that our kids would be together someday. That they would even be blessed by The Enchantment." Eileen laughed. "Can you imagine that? She truly believed in the power of love." none of the two teenagers spoke a word. Eileen looked at them, a soft smile on her lips. "It's true then?"

"Yes." Florence was the one to answer. "We've already felt the Enchantment acting between us." she finished, blushing.

Eileen sighed before saying:

"That settles it then. You're sleeping in my room, Florence, with a lock on the door. As far as I remember, this Enchantment thing is uncontrollable."

* * *

The summer days passed by quickly. Each day was hotter than the day before. And the heat between the two teenagers increased respectively. During the long hot nights, Florence would go down to the kitchen to grab a glass of water and he would be there, waiting for her, needing to kiss and feel her body against his own. They'd kiss and touch and tease each other until they couldn't go any further without taking their clothes off.

* * *

Florence reached the dark corridor. She got to the stairs and nothing happened. Snape wasn't there tonight, apparently. She went to the kitchen, turned the lights on, opened the fridge, got her glass of cold water and suddenly the lights were off. She felt a presence behind her. She smiled and drank half of her glass of water. And then a hot body was pushing her against the sink cabinet. Lips going to her neck, kissing, licking and biting. Snape turned her around in his arms and took her lips in a possessive kiss, his tongue dominating hers. The long fingers of his left hand holding her head in place, stopping her from moving away from him. As if she would do such nonsense! There was nothing but pleasure in his hands and lips. He left a trail of hot wet kisses from her mouth to her breasts, kissing all the skin he could see, his hands touching what he couldn't.

"You're mine." he growled, feeling her body shiver in pleasure.

And the lights were suddenly on. They jumped away from each other. Eileen was at the kitchen door, staring at them angrily.

"Severus, go to your bedroom." she said. "Florence, if you've finished drinking your water you go to bed as well."

Eileen watched them walking upstairs, trying hard not to laugh.

* * *

****The next morning****

Florence woke up all alone in the bedroom. Eileen wasn't there anymore. She got dressed and went to the corridor. Near the staircase she saw that Snape's bedroom door was open. She didn't resist it. She entered his bedroom, closed the door and lay down on the bed beside him. He was half naked. No shirt on, his pants hanging low on his hips. The whole bedroom smelt like him. She passed her fingers over his thin lips, took his hair behind his ear and go closer, touching her body to his.

"Good morning, Flor." he murmured and kissed her softly.

Knocks on the bedroom door made them jump apart.

"You both better be dressed and downstairs for breakfast in two minutes." said Eileen from the other side of the door.

Florence tried to get up from the bed but he didn't let her. Snape pulled her back to bed, covering her body with his, kissing her neck and going lower, his hands on her thighs.

"Stop, Sev." she gasped. "Stop."

He stopped, got out of the bed and looked at her, lying on his bed, her hair all messed up.

"Get out of here, Florence. I can't get dressed with you looking like that in my bed, staring at me."

She left the room, laughing happily.

* * *

The letters with their O.W.L.s results had arrived earlier and they both got great marks, as expected.

Eileen decided to break the silence that reined the breakfast table.

"I won't say that what you're doing is wrong. I know how old you two are and I know that you have strong feelings for each other. I was 15 once too. I remember how that feels. I just want you to be careful." she paused, sipping her coffee. "I want grandchildren but I wish for you to finish school first." she joked making them blush.

* * *

After breakfast, Florence and Snape went for a walk in the nearby neighborhood, Godric's Hollow. They were going to go to the small park Snape said he used to go to when he was a child.

They arrived there and sat under a tree.

"Lily lives near here. And so does Potter." Snape said.

"He likes her, right?" Florence said. "He asked for my help at the Ball, he's really in love with her. But he said she hates him."

"Yes. Everybody knows that he loves her. But Lily doesn't hate him; she's not capable of hating anyone. She just can't stand the way he is."

"Conceited and arrogant?" Florence asked laughing. "You're just like that and I fell in love with you." she kissed him. "We could help them, what do you think?"

"I don't know. Lily is really stubborn…"

"Oh, come on, she's just one Gryffindor and we're two Slytherins!"

* * *

"Eww, that's disgusting!" said Petunia, looking at the couple kissing under a tree.

"What's wrong, Tuney?" asked Lily.

"There! Look! There's a girl kissing that disgusting Snape boy by that tree!"

Lily looked at the couple and smiled.

"Do you know her, Lily?"

"Yes, she's a new student at Hogwarts."

Petunia looked at the couple one more time and left the park, leaving her "__freak sister there with her freakish friends"__.

* * *

Lily walked towards the couple.

"Do I interrupt something?" she asked sitting in front of them.

"Of course not, Lily." said Snape.

"Hi, Lily." said Florence.

"What brings you're here, Florence? Besides your boyfriend, of course." asked Lily.

"Eileen is my godmother. As I have no other close family, she invited me to stay at her house for the summer."

"Lucky you! Eileen is awesome!" Lily looked at some kids playing in the park and suddenly she smiled no more. "There comes Potter, excuse me, I'm going home." and she left the park.

And James Potter walked towards Florence and Snape.

"Hi. I just want to apologize for my behavior at the Ball, I was…" James started to say.

"Drunk." interrupted Florence. "I noticed."

"Yeah, I think I'll just give up running after Evans." he looked at the direction Lily had gone.

Florence looked at her boyfriend before saying:

"I want to help you, James."

"Really? Why would you help me?" he asked intrigued.

"Maybe because we want to stop seeing you make an idiot of yourself in front of the entire school." said Snape.

"No." laughed Florence. "It's because we think Lily likes you too. And she's a nice girl, she deserves to be happy and if it's you whom she wants… what else we can do but help her get what she wants."

"Ok." said James not really believing them. He sat on the ground in front of the Slytherin couple.

"First, you must stop giving her expensive gifts." Florence said. "You have to make her like you, not your money. Stop acting like you're the center of the universe around her as well. Girls really don't like that."

"Nobody actually likes that." mumbled Snape.

"Be simple." Florence continued. "Don't exaggerate on presents or attention. Give her just a bit of who you truly are and, if she really likes you, she'll want more." Florence winked at James.

And just like that they spent an interesting afternoon talking about James Potter's future love life.

* * *

****Author's note:**** I have no idea where Lily's family lived so I put the Evans in Godric's Hollow with the Potters (convenient, right?) and I made it be near Spinner's End (because we do know Lily lived in a nearby neighborhood).


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

**Befriending the Enemy**

**Two days later**

Two couples were talking and playing in the park, the two girls sitting on the swings and the two boys pushing them.

"I have to go." said James. "If you'll excuse me, my mom's asked me to help her with tonight's dinner."

"So soon." said Lily in a sad voice, stopping her swing. "We are having so much fun."

"Sorry, Lily." James said, kissing her cheek softly. "Bye." he looked at Snape and Florence. "I'm not kissing you, Severus. I wouldn't mind kissing Florence, though." he joked.

"Bye, James." growled Snape putting himself between his girlfriend and James.

And the boy went home laughing.

"He's not as unpleasant as I thought." said Lily. "He was a gentleman today."

"Do you like him, Lils?" asked Florence.

"Yes." the red-headed blushed. "He was always so annoying but since yesterday he's been more likeable. I really enjoyed spending these days here in the park with him and you."

"He really likes you." Florence said.

"I know." said Lily blushing redder.

"Everybody knows." murmured Snape.

"Does this mean you are thinking about giving him a chance, Lils?" Florence said, ignoring her boyfriend's comment.

"Yes. If this is the real James Potter, I'm definitely going to give him a chance." she smiled.

* * *

**September 1st, 1976**

The trip to platform 9 ¾ was very tranquil. Mr. Evans gave Snape and Florence a ride to the platform.

The three were there, waiting for the signal to board the train.

"Look, James and Sirius are over there." said Florence.

"I heard that Sirius is now living with the Potters in Godric's Hollow." informed Lily. "It's been a week already."

"That's why James stopped going to the park." murmured Florence. "He probably doesn't want Sirius to know that he was talking to us."

Lily looked desolated.

"Just as I had thought, Flor." Lily said, looking at where James was. "All those good manners and the nice way he was talking and acting around me were all a lie."

Florence and Snape looked at James angrily.

James saw them and looked away.

* * *

"James, is Delacour really dating Snape?" asked Sirius.

"Yes. And I've told you that a million times already. Why are you so obsessed with her? Where do you know her from?"

"Florence used to spend some weekends at my house until three years ago."

"What? How? Why?" asked a confused James.

"All I know is that her father travelled a lot and she had nowhere else to go. My Uncle Cygnus was a friend of her father's and Aunt Druella, Narcissa and Andromeda really liked her; Bellatrix hated her guts though. So when her dad travelled she used to stay at my aunt's house and when Cissy, Dromeda and Bella went to my house during the weekends, she went with them."

"And you fell in love with her or something?"

"Yeah." said Sirius. "But she never looked at me twice. Not even as a friend. I don't know what she sees in Snivellus though." Sirius looked at Florence with Lily and Snape. "Hey! Lily is looking at you, man!"

"I know." James murmured looking the other way.

"You _know_? And you're sad about it? Care to explain to me what's going on here? Don't you like her anymore?"

"I do. I like her more now than ever before."

"So?" asked Sirius confused.

"You wouldn't understand." answered James. After all, how could he explain to his best friend that two Slytherins had helped him win Lily's heart during the summer and that Snape wasn't as unpleasant as they had originally thought?

* * *

Lily, Florence and Snape boarded the train and found an empty compartment. But the Gryffindor girl had to go to the prefects' carriage.

When Lily arrived at the prefects' carriage she found Remus Lupin already there.

"Hello, Remus. How are you?"

"Fine, thanks. How was your vacation?"

"Great, thanks for asking. I lived very interesting moments this summer." she said. "Florence was at Severus's house and I got to know her better. She's really awesome."

"Befriended the enemy during the summer, Lily?" joked Remus.

"Don't be like that! We've spent lots of time in the park and even James was there with us."

"Hold on! James? My friend James Potter spent days in the park with two Slytherins and one of them were Severus, who James himself has nicknamed Snivellus?" Remus was shocked.

"Yes." Lily started to laugh.

"You're telling me that you, Florence, Snape and James spent lovely afternoons talking about life at a park? James and Severus?"

"Unbelievable, eh?"

"No fights at all?"

"Well, not exactly. Sometimes the two of them argued but Florence stopped any bigger fights."

"Don't think for a second that I believe you, Lily." said Remus.

And they began patrolling the train's corridors.

Soon they reached the compartment where Snape and Florence were intensely snogging.

* * *

"Every compartment is taken already!" complained Sirius.

"Looks like it." agreed James.

"There! I saw Lily and Remus going into that compartment over there. Let's go!"

"I think we'd better not, Sirius." said James, knowing that Snape and Florence were probably in there too.

"Why not? I don't want to sit with the first years, man!" Sirius said, already walking toward the compartment.

"Hey, stop!" James held his friend by his shirt. "I'd have to tell you this sooner or later..." he took a deep breath before continuing: "I've had great times this summer talking and joking around with Florence, Lily and Severus."

"Woow! Wait a minute! When has Snivellus become _Severus_? What are you talking about? Are you high? Were you on drugs before I got to your house?"

"No. No! I just met them and well... Florence is nice and Snape is not so bad. They helped me get close to Lily." James let go of his friend's shirt. "We can go in that compartment but if Florence and Snape are there let's try not to fight, ok?"

"This must be some kind of twisted dream or something." said Sirius. "But, fine! No fighting in front of Lily."

* * *

The compartment door was opened and James entered.

"Hi. May we join you?" he asked.

"And who are _we_?" asked Snape. "If you have the dog with you..."

"Stop it, Severus." said Florence. "Yes. James. You can come in. Both of you."

* * *

One hour later, the usual clattering from the trolley could be heard and Florence got up to get some sweets.

"Want something Severus?" she asked. "My treat."

"No, thanks." he stared at her, sounding annoyed.

Florence simply shook her head, bought what she wanted and sat back down, her hands full of candy.

* * *

**Author's note: **MORE REVIEWS, PLEASE!


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

**A New School Year Begins**

Once the train got to Hogsmead, the Florence, Snape, Remus, Sirius, James, Lily and Peter Pettigrew all boarded the same testral-guided carriage that would take them to the castle.

"Care to explain?" asked Hagrid. "As far as I remember you threw a tree on his head." he said pointing Florence and Sirius.

"It's all right, Hagrid." said Lily. "It's a truce."

"Ok." Hagrid replied, looking from Snape to Sirius, seeing the hate in the Gryffindor's eyes.

* * *

After the opening feast, Lily, Remus and Florence were talking at the Gryffindor table.

"Where's Severus, Florence?" asked Lily.

"At the common room. He went there with Nott and Travers, two guys from the 7th year."

"He's trying to get information about the N.E.W.T.s?"

"Unfortunately, I don't think that's the reason they're talking, Remus." said Florence in a sad voice.

"That's bad."

"I know, Lily." Florence said, sighing.

"Miss Delacour." Dumbledore approached their table.

"Yes, Professor?"

"I need to have a word with you. Walk me to my office, will you?"

"Sure."

* * *

Florence sat in front of the Headmaster, waiting for him to start talking.

"Tea?" he offered.

"No, thanks."

"How was your vacation, dear?"

"It was really good. I spent it at my godmother's house and… now Severus and I, we're dating."

Dumbledore paused briefly, looking at her

"I believe you didn't tell any your friends about your true family."

"No. I have no intentions to tell any of them anything about my father."

"And Eileen? She knows the truth. Did she say anything?"

"No. Actually she told me that it's my story to tell, so she won't tell Severus, or anyone else."

"Good. How was the talk you had with your father before the Ball?"

"We made a deal. I won't take sides in the upcoming war and he won't interfere in my life."

"You have no intentions to help us then, Miss Peverell?"

"No. I'm sorry, but I can't. And now that…" she stopped talking afraid of the Headmaster's reaction.

"I already know about Mr. Snape's plans."

"I'll probably have to break up with him after we finish Hogwarts. I'm thinking about going to study abroad." she said.

"And what will you do about the Enchantment?"

"If my father could resist it, I know I'm able as well."

Dumbledore let out a sad sigh.

"I must say, Florence, that I'd thought your feelings towards him would somehow change Snape's dark inclinations. He's a very powerful and clever young wizard, it'll be dangerous to all of us if he decides to really join your father."

* * *

It was late when Florence got back to the commom room.

"Hey, Travers. Where's Severus?" she asked the boy.

"He and Nott went out for… a walk." he answered, clearly meaning anything but a walk.

"Thank you." she murmured.

Florence went to the girls' bathroom, took a shower and went to bed.

_Maybe if I told him the truth he would choose me instead of the Death Eaters. But it would be hard to make him believe me… he probably would think I'm making it all up just to stop him from joining them. What should I do?_

* * *

**Next morning.**

Snape waited for Florence for almost an hour in the common room. She didn't show up. A blue-eyed girl told him Florence had left the dormitory early that morning.

_Damn it!_

* * *

After enrolling for the trials to get into the Slytherin Quidditch team that year, Florence went to the Gryffindor common room. She got herself in - Lily had given her this week's password.

"Hey, Lily."

"Good morning." greeted Lily and Remus.

"Where's Severus?" asked Remus.

"Don't ask me. I have no idea." Florence answered, sitting on the couch.

"Did you two have a fight?" asked Lily.

"Not yet, Lily. But we will." said Florence.

* * *

Snape saw when she came into the Great Hall with Remus and Lily. She sat beside the werewolf; all smiles to the werewolf.

Snape felt the hate filling his body. _Stupid werewolf._ He got up and left the Great Hall.

* * *

**Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom**

When Florence got to the classroom he was already there sitting at a desk by himself.

"Good morning, Severus." she sat beside him.

"Are you talking to me?" he snapped. She didn't answer. "Where were you this morning?" he asked.

"Where _I_ was this morning?" she repeated furiously. "You've been Merlin-knows-where since yesterday and now you think you have the right to be angry and ask _me_ where _I_ was?" she whispered angrily. "I know you were out with Nott somewhere. Do I even want to know what you two were doing?"

"No." he grumbled.

She stared at him, worry in her eyes.

"Severus, you can't really be considering…" her voice dropped to a whisper.

"You. Don't. Own. Me." he snapped, keeping a low tone. "Stop trying to tell me what I should and shouldn't do."

"And you have no right to ruin our lives." she whispered back.

Snape could see tears filling her eyes. He couldn't see her cry. It'd break his heart to know that he had made her cry.

"I'm sorry, Flor."

"There's only one thing I made clear I demand from you." Florence said.

"I know. That I don't become… one of them." he added.

"Exactly." she let out a trembling sigh. "And put it in your head I don't care that you're poor…" she saw him rolling up his eyes. "I know it bothers you but I don't care! Just like I don't care that you're always grumpy and complaining about everything. I love you, Severus." she softly kissed his lips. "But don't ask me to accept you becoming a Death Eater."

And Prof. Page entered the room, beggining the lesson.

Florence didn't say a word about that again.

Snape never forgot her words. Never.

* * *

**Author's note:** more problems.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

**The Tower &amp; a Quidditch Match**

For two days they couldn't find the time and place to be alone. It had been almost a week since they had last gone to the Astronomy Tower. Now, 6 p.m., Florence was walking out of the shower stall. She put on a comfortable dress and went to the common room to meet her boyfriend. He was there already.

"Your look beautiful." Snape whispered over her lips, kissing her.

"It's all for you."

"I want to say that I'm sorry…" he began.

"You've been forgiven, Sev. This time." Florence interrupted. "Let's go."

* * *

They went for a walk by the lake. Touches and kisses were exchanged, neck, mouth, ear, collarbone, everywhere.

After having dinner in the Great Hall they went to the Astronomy Tower.

* * *

"Abaffiato." cast Snape as soon as they got to the Tower.

And within seconds he had Florence against the wall; he took her lips in a scorching kiss. His hands quickly found the soft skin of her breasts under her blouse. She hadn't put on a bra._ How convenient._ His touches were gentle at first, but then he caught her nipples between his fingers and pinched them. She moaned in his mouth. He looked at her, her head thrown back, eyes closed, her lips parted, gasping for hair. She was the image of desire, pleasure, and all things forbidden. And he needed her. He brought their bodies tightly together. She could feel his hard member through the material of their clothing. He started to rub himself between her legs. Florence nearly screamed, she was so turned on she felt like her body was burning underneath that dress.

"We'd better stop." she moaned.

"I don't want to stop..." he growled against her neck, biting and then licking after to soothe the pain.

"Neither do I... but we must." she whispered.

"You're right." his voice sounded rough. "I'm not made of stone… a few more touches and I won't be the master of my actions." and he took many steps backwards.

Florence shivered in pleasure at the images those words brought to her mind.

They fixed their clothes, hairs and once they were looking presentable again, they walked back to the common room.

* * *

**November 1976**

Today was the day of the first Quidditch match of the term.

The noise in the Great Hall was unbelievable. The students from the Gryffindor and Slytherin houses shouted at each other. Even the newest weirdest group of friends were insulting one another today.

"Ready to lose, Potter?" asked Regulus Black, Slytherin's Seeker.

"Have you already forgotten what happened to you last year, Black?" asked James.

"I think you're the one forgetting something here, James." said Florence.

"Yeah, and what is it?" James asked.

"This year I am here. And you can be certain that I know exactly who my Bludger will be aiming to."

"You don't stand a chance, Potter." laughed Regulus.

"We'll see." growled Sirius.

"Do you want to bet?" asked Snape.

"What? _You're_ talking about Quidditch now?" asked James, surprised.

"All because I know _my_ girlfriend will open up your head with a Bludger, Potter." Snape sneered. "When we win The Quidditch Cup, you and Black will have to put on the Slytherin uniform and deliver the Cup to us."

"This is ridiculous." said Lily.

"If, by chance, you win." continued Snape. "I'll deliver you the Cup myself."

"With the Gryffindor uniform on." added Sirius.

"Deal." said Snape.

* * *

**Quidditch pitch**

The Ravenclaw student Ian York was doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Prof. McGonagall.

"GOOD MORNING Y'ALL! HERE'S IAN YORK! GET READY 'CAUSE TODAY'S GAME IS GOING TO SET THIS FIELD ON FIRE! AND ACCORDING TO WHAT I'VE HEARD EARLIER AT BREAKFAST, NOT EVEN THE WEIRD NEW FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN DELACOUR, SNAPE, POTTER AND THE TWO BLACKS WILL BE ENOUGH TO AVOID A BLOODBATH!"

"York!" screamed McGonagall. "Stop inciting violence!"

"OKAAY! A CLEAN GAME IS ALL THE MATTERS. SO ARE YOU READY?!" the students at the stands went crazy! Screaming and shouting. "OK. SO LET'S WELCOME TO THE FIELD THE GRYFFINDOR TEAM! THE NEW CAPTAIN AND SEEKER JAMES POTTER! THE BEATERS, SIRIUS BLACK AND CARTER BONES. THE TRIPLE T CHASERS DAVE THURMAN, MAX TRENTINI AND ASHLEE THOMPSON! AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST THE KEEPER FRANK LONGBOTTOM!"

The Gryffindor stands cheered and screamed.

"THE GRYFFINDOR TEAM REMAINS THE SAME FROM LAST YEAR. DISCREDITING THOSE RUMORS THAT SAID POTTER WOULD PUT EVANS ON THE TEAM EVEN THOUGH SHE CAN'T DISTIGUISH THE QUAFFLE FROM THE BLUDGER." McGonagall tried to take the microphone from York who avoided it. "AND NOW LET'S WELCOME THOSE NOT KNOWN FOR THEIR FAIR GAME…"

"York, stop insulting the players!" shouted McGonagall.

"OK, OK. MAY THE SLYTHERINS GET INTO THE FIELD. THEIR CAPTAIN REMAINS THE SAME, THE KEEPER, JAY CARTER! THE BEATERS, TAYLOR TRAVERS AND, FROM DURMSTRANG, GOURGEOUS AND WITH QUESTIONABLE TASTE IN MEN, FLORENCE DELACOUR! THE CHASERS JOHN SIAN, ANNE BARTON AND WILLIAM CROW! AND THEIR SEEKER, THE SHORT AND DANGEROUS, REGULUS BLACK!"

Madam Hooch was refereeing. She called both captains to greet each other.

"I expect a clean and fair game here today, boys and girls."

Carter and James shook hands. Hooch threw the Quaffle up in the air and the game began.

"SLYTHERIN IN POSSESSION – SIAN WITH THE QUAFFLE, FLYING LIKE A HIPOGRIFF – PASSES TRENTINI, DODGES A BLUDGER AND… SLYTHERIN SCORE! 10 TO ZERO! AND POTTER DODGES A DANGEROUS BLUDGER SENT BY DELACOUR STRAIGHT INTO HIM. AND SIRIUS BLACK TRIES TO HIT HIS BROTHER IN RETALIATION. BUT MISSED. AND DELACOUR GOES FOR POTTER'S HEAD AGAIN. SHE'S AWESOME. NEVER TOUGHT I'D ENVY SNAPE."

"York!"

"OK. BACK TO THE GAME. GRYFFINDOR HAVE TAKEN THE QUAFFLE AND THURMAN'S SPEEDING OFF TOWARDS THE GOALPOSTS… BUT HE'S BLOCKED BY TRAVERS' BLUDGER. AND SLYTHERIN HAVE TAKEN THE QUAFFLE. AGAIN. ANYONE'S SEEN THE SNITCH? BLUDGERS ARE FLYING LIKE CRAZY TODAY IN POTTER'S DIRECTION. THOMPSON TRIES TO SCORE BUT CARTER CATCHES IT! AND THE SNITCH? EACH SEEKER IS ON A DIFFERENT SIDE OF THE FIELD. BUT… WAIT! THERE GOES POTTER! AND BLACK! BOTH SEEKERS SAW THE SNITCH! IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PITCH! WHAT?! NOOO! POTTER IS FALLING! DELACOUR'S BLUDGER HIT HIM! OH, NO! REGULUS BLACK'S GOT THE SNITCH. SLYTHERIN WINS THE FIRST MATCH OF THE SEASON." York ended the comment in a fake cheerful voice.

Florence ran towards the stands, hugging and kissing her boyfriend. Many '_ews_' could be heard but they didn't mind. After the kiss, she went back to the field to see how James was. After all, he was her friend.

"How're you feeling, James?" she asked kneeling down beside him.

"You're persistent…" James chuckled, one hand on the side of his head. "And strong, damn, that hurt… and Lily?" he asked in a hopeful voice.

"Oh, she's crying her eyes out with worry." said Florence, smiling.

* * *

The party in the Slytherin common room was unbelievable. Not only they'd beaten the Gryffindors, but the annoying James Potter was in the Hospital Wing with his head bleeding.

* * *

James stayed 4 days in the Hospital Wing. A potion helped his bones to mend and another one to lessen his pain. A certain red-haired girl never left his bedside. Not even for a moment.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

**To Be or Not To Be**

The celebration party was over.

Prof. Slughorn had ordered everybody to bed.

The Slytherin common room had been quickly cleaned up by the house elves and now it was empty.

Florence had already showered and put on some comfortable pajamas. And when she left the dormitory she saw that her boyfriend was still in the common room, sitting on the floor by the fireplace, a book –_ Practical Defensive Magic and Its Use Against the Dark Arts_, 3rd volume – on his lap.

She sat down beside him.

"Hey, Sev. Something wrong?"

"No."

"Then, why weren't you celebrating with us?" she asked.

"I don't really care about Quidditch." he said, never taking his eyes from the book.

"Neither do I. I'd much rather stay with you." she leaned over his lap, trying to get even closer to him.

But Snape didn't move to touch her; his body tensed. And he had yet to look at her, his eyes on the book that was now partially covered by her hair.

"What's going on, Severus?" Florence asked tiredly.

"Nothing."

She sighed irritably and said:

"If you don't tell me what's wrong, I won't be able to help you."

"Nothing is wrong."

Florence got angry and stood up, taking the book from his hands.

"Give it back!" Snape barked, getting up from the floor as well.

"Tell me what the fuck is wrong with you and then I'll give your damn book back!"

"You're not the center of the universe, Delacour. Not everything has to be about you." he said.

"You asshole!" she threw the heavy book on his stomach. "You don't want to tell me what's wrong? Fine! Stay there with your stupid book! And have a miserable night, Snape!" she turned around to go to the girls' dormitory.

"I'm sorry." she heard him saying.

Florence wiped away the tears that had fallen from her eyes and turned to face him again.

"Don't you get it?" she said, walking towards him and stopping right in front of him. "I love you. But I won't tolerate this kind of behavior. You have a problem, you tell me and we'll solve it together. Just don't come to me if your problem has anything to do with... you-know-what."

He sat on the couch, she sat beside him.

"You mean my future as a..." he said.

"Death Eater. Yes." she looked into his eyes. "I saw you going out with Nott earlier this evening. If you choose them, there can't be an us."

Snape stared at the flames of the fireplace.

"Why can't I have both?" he asked in a low voice.

"Because... I couldn't be by your side then." Florence paused, understanding that maybe his decision had already been made . "They kill people like Lily, Severus. She's our friend. We both know there's nothing wrong with being muggleborn."

"But they have money, power, influence. They'd pay a lot to have a mind such as mine working for them." he said.

"I'll pretend you've never told me that." interrupted Florence, getting up from the couch.

He held her by the hand.

"I'm sorry, I'm always making you cry." he said.

"Not true. You make me laugh too..." Florence sat back down beside him. "You make me happy when you talk about our future together and say that you hope our kids look like me."

"I do hope that." he said with a lopsided smile.

"And then you argue with me when I say I hope they look like you." Florence caressed his face and kissed his lips softly. "I hope they have you hair, your eyes..."

"My nose?" one eyebrow was raised.

"Well, not really." Florence laughed. "They don't need to have your nose. But even your stubbornness is a charm. Your sense of honor and intelligence." she touched her body to his. "I love everything about you, Sev." she straddled his lap, kissing his lips.

Snape grabbed her hips and pulled her down on his lap, making her feel his half hard member. His hands going under her blouse, touching her breasts over her bra. He bit her neck, licking after to soothe the pain; and left a hot trail of kisses from her neck to her mouth, taking her lips passionately. Florence whimpered, her chest heaving with each breath. He pushed her bra to the side and touched one hard nipple, listening to her gasp. He did the same with the other nipple, torturing her, playing her body like and instrument. His eyes focused on her reactions, the way her hips undulated against his lap.

"Sev... we better stop." Florence moaned; she was losing control.

"Uhm..." he rumbled and kissed her lips one more time before taking his hand from under her blouse and letting go of her waist so she could get off his lap.

Florence stood in front of him and leaned over to softly bit his bottom lip, her hands on his thighs, teasing him.

"Night, Sev."

"Night, Flor."

He watched her go to the girls' dormitory and sighed. Tonight a cold shower wouldn't be enough to solve his hard problem, he'd have to take a hot one and solve it himself.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Christmas**

The Christmas break had finally arrived.

The Great Hall had been beautifully decorated for the Christmas feast; Lily and Florence were by the big oaken doors, waiting for their friends.

"Where the hell are those idiots?" Florence growled.

Lily stared at her, confused.

"What's wrong with you today, Florence?"

"There's nothing wrong."

"Bullshit. You've been like that the whole day."

"Like _what_?"

"Unhappy, easily irritated. What did Severus do this time?"

"He's missing! He disappeared this afternoon. With Nott, Travers and Avery."

"That's really bad."

"Hello, girls. What's really bad?" asked Remus, stopping in front of them.

"Severus is missing. Again." Lily answered.

"Do you think he is already a…?" asked Remus, worried.

"No, not yet." interrupted Florence. "But I believe he has already made his decision."

James, Sirius and Pettigrew arrived soon after Remus.

"So, let's go into the Great Hall?" asked James, offering Lily his arm, which she readily accepted.

"Yes. Let's." said Florence.

"Where's your boyfriend?" asked Sirius.

"He's not here." answered Florence angrily.

"Excellent!" exclaimed Sirius smiling.

They all went into the Great Hall.

Florence sat at the Gryffindor table with her friends.

Dumbledore's speech was all about life-changing decisions. The Headmaster knew that many students would probably be coming back from that Christmas break with the Dark Mark on their left forearms.

The speech ended and Snape had yet to show up.

The food came, the food went; still no sign of Snape.

Her Gryffindor friends ate all the many delicious desserts, but Florence didn't touch her plate the whole night.

The feast came to an end and Snape hadn't appeared.

"Maybe he's already gone home." Lily tried to console her friend.

"No. We said we'd go together."

"You can come home with me. Stay the night at my house." offered Lily.

"Ok. I'll spend the night at your house and tomorrow morning I'll walk to Eileen's."

* * *

Before leaving the school, Florence sent Eileen a letter.

_Dear Godmother,_

_Severus is missing. Again. I have no idea where he might be. But I fear that whatever it is that he's doing, it can't be good._

_Anyway, I'll spend the night at Lily's house. Tomorrow morning I'll go to your house._

_If Severus gets home, don't tell him where I am._

_Please, make him suffer for abandoning me at the castle._

_Love,_

_Florence._

* * *

It was past 11 p.m. when Snape finally arrived at the castle; the Christmas feast had already ended. He went to the Slytherin common room, changed into clean clothes and waited for Florence to show up.

"Hey, Cavendish." he called a girl that was leaving the girl's dormitory. "Is Florence still packing?"

"Florence is not here, Snape. She left the castle right after the feast was over."

He thanked the girl and turned around, staring at the flames in the fireplace.

"Damn it." he muttered.

He was in trouble. Again.

He took his suitcase from the floor and went to the enchanted fireplace used by some students to go home when they'd lost the train.

* * *

**Spinner's End**

When the green flames diminished, showing him the living room of his mother's home, Snape stepped forward, brushing off the dust from his coat. All he could hear was silence.

"Mom!" he called, walking into the kitchen, where the lights were on.

"Severus!" Eileen turned around and hugged him. "What took you two so long to get here?"

"Florence… she isn't here already?" he asked.

"Of course not. Didn't she come with you?"

Snape looked around the kitchen nervously, before answering:

"No. I thought she was already here. We got lost from each other, apparently."

"What do you mean? Weren't you two together at the Christmas feast? Aren't you housed in the same House? Don't you go to the same common room?" Eileen demanded.

"Yes, but…"

"Weren't you at the Christmas feast, Severus?"

"Of course I was!" he nearly shouted.

"Stop lying to me." Eileen threw the towel she was holding on the table. "Where were you?"

"I was out, with some friends."

"So you left your girlfriend alone during the Christmas feast to hang around the castle with some friends. Doing _what_ exactly?" he didn't answer. "Where's Florence, Severus?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know." Eileen repeated.

"I'll go to Lily's house. Maybe she knows where Florence is. Maybe Florence is there."

Eileen just nodded and he left the house.

* * *

**At the Evan's house**

Lily and Florence were talking in Lily's bedroom.

"What will you do tomorrow when you see him?" the red-haired asked.

"I don't really know." answered Florence in a sad voice. "I love him… but I can't accept him becoming a Death Eater."

"Did you two talk about it?"

"Yes, Lily. Many times. And all he says is that he'll think about it." she looked at the window. "But I fear he has already made a decision."

Someone knocked on the bedroom door.

"Lily, dear." it was Mrs. Evans. "That friend of yours, Severus, is downstairs."

The girls looked at each other.

"I'll go see what he wants." Florence said, getting up from the bed and passing by Lily's mother in the corridor. "Thank you, Mrs. Evans."

She went downstairs. Snape was there on the couch. He quickly got up when he saw her.

"Good night, Severus."

"Why are you here?" he asked.

"Why weren't you at the Christmas feast?" she asked in return.

He stared at her for a second, ignoring her question.

"Let's go home." he said, looking around the living room. That wasn't the right place for them to talk. "Then we'll talk."

"I don't want to talk anymore, Severus." she sighed. "I'm tired of all the talking. I'll go home with you, but you better be quiet until we get there."

"Ok."

* * *

When they finally got to Eileen's house, there was a tea pot on the table and Eileen was in the kitchen.

"I've found her." said Snape as he walked into the kitchen.

They just looked at him.

"I'll go to bed, godmother." Florence said.

"Go, sweetheart." Eileen kissed her goddaughter.

Florence left the kitchen, going upstairs.

And mother and son were alone in the kitchen. Eileen stared at him, he stared at the floor.

After a few moments of silence, Eileen decided to speak:

"Why, Severus?"

"I don't know what you…"

"Stop right there!" she interrupted. He looked at her. "Why are you doing this? I know what your plans are and I must ask you to change them, my son. That's not a good future for you. You'll lose Florence if you do that."

"I don't know what Florence has been telling you…"

"The truth. That's what she's told me. She's told me that you're thinking about working to you-know-who." silence again. "You know she'll leave you, if you do that."

"She won't leave me. The Enchantment wouldn't allow it."

"The magical connection you two share won't stop her from leaving you. She can and she will live far from here if you join them."

"But…"

"You have to understand it, Severus." Eileen continued. "The two of you will be forever connected through the Enchantment, yes. The love you share is strong because both your magic are strong, and love is the strongest magic that exists, so the Enchantment makes you two even more powerful. But if she has to, she'll leave you. Florence will try to forget you in another man's arms. Is that what you want?"

Snape walked to the window, staring at the darkened street outside. He was torn between his desire for power and fortune, and his love for Florence. He couldn't lose her. Just thinking about it made him feel an almost physical pain. But he had already agreed to it. Before he finished Hogwarts he would be marked.

Eileen looked at her son's troubled face.

"I'll go to bed, my son. Think about what I've said. Don't throw what you and Florence have to the wind." she kissed his cheek and went upstairs, carrying a cup of tea for Florence.

* * *

Snape went upstairs a few minutes later. In the corridor, he could hear them talking about him. He could also hear that Florence was crying.

"… what will I do if he becomes one of them?" he heard Florence asking in a shaky voice.

"Maybe if you talked to him…" Eileen said.

"No, no more talking, godmother. I've tried it and he didn't listen to me. I fear he has already made a decision."

"Enough crying, dear. As Dumbledore says: love always wins in the end."

"But until the end, what happens?"

"Until then... we suffer." finished Eileen.

Snape resumed walking to his bedroom.

His mother's words echoing in his ears.

Florence was his. He would never accept seeing her in another man's arms.

He took a shower and went to bed. His dreams were about her, as usual. He could see her in a park, beautiful as ever, dressed in a light blue pair of jeans and a white blouse that did nothing to hide the round belly underneath it. She was pregnant in this dream, as she was in many others he'd had. But this time it wasn't his the face of the man walking beside her. It was Sirius's.

* * *

**Author's note:** oh, dears. We all know this is only going to get worse, much worse.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

**More Apologies**

**In the next morning...**

Snape woke up early. Too early. He'd slept terribly. He put on some comfortable clothes and walked out of his room. He found his mother on the stairs.

"Good morning, mom."

"Good morning, son."

He looked at the door of his mother's room.

"Florence is still asleep." Eileen said. "You can go in, just don't wake her up."

He nodded and went into the room.

Florence was lying on the bed, hugging a pillow, her beautiful long brown curls covering the pillow and even her face. He sat on the bed, near her, and took those hair strands off her face, caressing her skin.

Florence woke up, sitting up quickly when she saw him there.

" What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I just… I think I owe you an apology. " he said.

" For the hundredth time in the short time I've known you." she sighed. "There's nothing else to be said, Severus." tears gathered in her eyes. "I shouldn't forgive you anymore. I should just go live somewhere else; another country perhaps."

" Is it that bad to live here? I know our house is simple but…"

"Shut up!" Florence interrupted him angrily. "I love Eileen and I love being here! What I can't stand anymore is the possibility of you becoming a Death Eater." she paused looking into his eyes. "I think you've already made your choice, and I believe you chose the wrong path. I have no intention of living like you want to live. I want a family, Severus. I wish to rebuild what I no longer have. I want a simple, normal life. I want to live in Hogsmead, have lots of babies, marry the man I love… I want to study Potions somewhere; maybe teach at Hogwarts in the future, or open an apothecary shop in the village… I just want to be happy."

"I'll make you happy."

"How? When not a week goes by without me crying because of you. If we're a couple, Severus, we must make decisions together, thinking about what is the best for both of us. I can't live with the choices you've made."

Florence got up and went to the bathroom. She walked out five minutes later, dressed in comfortable clothes and bed-head hair fixed.

"Will you leave London?" he asked.

"No. I'll finish my studies in Hogwarts." she folded her pajamas and looked at him. "And I need a break."

"A break?" he asked, getting up from the bed.

"Yes. A break, so you can think about what matters most to you, us or them."

"Of course our relationship is more important." he exclaimed.

"So show me that! Stop hanging out with Travers, Avery and Nott! Stop answering the many letters the Blacks and the Malfoys send you!" he looked astonished that she knew about the letters. "I recognized the family crests. They teach Genealogy in Durmstrang."

"But I have to answer or…"

"No. You're not one of them; you don't have the Dark Mark yet. They won't come after you."

"I'll stop answering, then." Snape said, knowing that it wouldn't stop them from trying to find him, he already knew when he would receive the Dark Mark.

"Promise me." Florence said.

"I promise." he lied.

Florence threw her arms around his neck.

He hugged and kissed her, smelling her perfume, enjoying the soft touch of her hair on his hands and face. Soon he was going to lose her, and he knew it would be inevitable.

* * *

**Christmas Eve**

Florence and Snape were walking at the park in the nearby neighborhood.

"Severus! Look over there! Under our tree!" exclaimed Florence.

"But those are Lily and James! And they are..."

"Kissing!" she completed. "Let's go there!"

And they walked towards their friends.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Merry Christmas**

**1 a.m.**  
Eileen was already asleep.

Florence had fallen asleep on the living room couch, in front of the fireplace, while she was reading a book – which was on the floor next to her hand.

Snape saw her there and decided to carry her up to bed so she could sleep more comfortably.

Florence woke up while he was carrying her upstairs.

"What… where are you taking me?" she asked.

"To my room. You looked really uncomfortable on that couch."

"You're taking me to _your_ bed?"

"Yes."

"And you'll sleep there with me?"

"Yes."

And the corners of her mouth formed a soft seductive smile.

"I said we'll sleep, Florence."

Snape entered his room and put her on the bed. Florence took her dressing gown off and gave it to him. He took it in his hands and couldn't avoid looking at her body, barely hidden by the white nightdress she was wearing. He turned around, threw her dressing gown on a chair and went to the bathroom.

* * *

Inside the bathroom, Snape was trying to control his body's reaction to the temptation lying in his bed. Why did he bring her to his bedroom? _I must be fucking insane!_ He would never be able to fall asleep with her body so close to his. He washed his face with cold water and walked back into the room.

Florence didn't move when he lay down on the bed. She was facing him but her eyes were closed.

"Flor, are you awake?"

"Yes." she breathed, and a shiver ran through her body.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

"No." she moved closer, opening her eyes to look at him.

He felt almost dizzy with desire with her so close and so warm. He pulled her to him and kissed her lips softly; one of his legs finding its way between hers. His hands went to her thighs, her nightdress had already been pulled to her waist; he could see the small piece of underwear she had on; he could also feel, against his thigh, that the soft fabric of her panties was wet.

"Sev…" Florence moaned over his lips, guiding his hand to her breasts, showing him that she had no bra on. He touched her nipples over the fabric of her nightdress, but it wasn't enough. Florence pulled her nightdress to the side, showing him her breasts.

Snape stared at them for a while. It became hard to breath. Everything was hard.

"Flor." he breathed. "Make me stop now." his hands slowly traveling over her skin, teasing her nipples with soft and hard touches.

She was moaning, completely lost in pleasure and desire. She opened her legs wide, taking one of his hands and guiding it between her legs, her beautiful eyes on his. His fingers touched her wet panties and he closed his eyes, he was quickly losing control; she was soaking wet**,** ready for him.

"Severus…" she moaned.

"I'm not made of stone, Flor… if we don't stop now, I…"

"No stopping, Severus." she said before getting on her knees on the bed and taking her nightdress off, so only the small underwear covered her body. "I need you… I can't live one more day just imagining what your hands will make me feel while you fuck me, imagining what it would feel like to have you deep inside me… I'm already yours, Severus. Love me." she touched his uncovered chest, straddling his hips and leaning over him to touch her breasts to his skin. "Fuck me." she whispered on his lips.

Florence was nearly naked and sitting on his painfully hard dick, grinding her hips against his. _Control be damned! _He thought before taking control of the situation; one of his hands went to her hair, grabbing a handful of it and he pulled her to a scorching kiss. He rolled them over, so he was on top of her. His lips found her nipples while his hands mapped her body, leaving trails of fire everywhere he touched. All he could hear was her moans and rapid breathing.

Her nails lightly scratched his skin. She grabbed at the waistband of his pants and pushed them down as far as she could reach to take a hold of his dick. And she was touching him, slowly jerking him off.

"Stop, Flor." he said hoarsely.

She obeyed.

Snape got up from the bed and took his pants and underwear off. He stared at her and grinned before kneeling on the bed and removing her lace panties. And so they were both naked. He went back to bed, lying over her body, between her legs, kissing her lips. Florence readily opened her legs, eager to feel more of him. His mouth went down to her breasts, licking and biting her hard nipples, both already reddened and swollen from all the attention he had been giving them. His mouth went to her ear, biting her earlobe lightly.

"You've asked for this… now I'll do whatever I want with your luscious body." he breathed and kept on setting fire to every part of her body with his touches, kisses and bites.

He reached her groin, working his way around her entrance, and she was too lost in pleasure to say any coherent word. He touched a finger to her soaking wet cunt, feeling how warm and slick she was. He used both his thumbs to push her lips apart, exposing her clit. He was dying to know what she would taste like, so he lowered his head and slowly licked her. Florence grabbed his hair with both hands and cried out his name. He felt more cream coming out of her and put two fingers inside her. She spread her legs wider, her channel gripping his fingers and he knew she was coming. She screamed his name between gasps of _fuck me, fuck me_. He had never licked pussy before, but it was definitely one of his favorites things to do; to watch her completely lose herself to the pleasure he was giving her was the best thing ever. _Imagine how gorgeous she'll look when I fuck her._ He thought, his dick throbbing between his legs.

"Severus… please." Florence moaned.

He got on his knees and positioned his hard cock at her entrance, slowly penetrating her. He covered her body with his, supporting himself on his elbows. He stared down into her eyes, looking for any sign of pain.

"Am I hurting you?" he asked.

"No… fuck me!"

She threw her head back in pure pleasure once he was completely inside of her.

Snape took her mouth, tongues touching passionately; and he started to thrust into her, moving slowly, at first, but getting faster as her moans got louder.

Florence locked her legs behind his back. All she knew was him; his body taking hers, his mouth on her breasts, capturing one nipple in his mouth, suckling it slowly while one hand pinched the other.

He was trying hard not to come but it was all too much; her moans, her hot body, the power of her _veela_ blood strongly affecting him. He wanted to cover her body with his seed, to mark her as his. Then she arched, clenching tightly around him.

"That's it… come for me." he growled, his eyes on her face, watching as she orgasmed with his cock deep inside her. _She looks even more gorgeous now. _And she was too tight, throbbing deliciously around him; so with a few more thrusts, he spilled his seed deep inside her. He buried his face on her neck, trying to breathe normally again.

"Did I hurt you?" Snape panted.

"No." Florence laughed softly, still gasping for air.

He slid his dick out of her body and lay down by her side, pulling her to his chest. He stroked her hair and smiled at her, moving a piece of hair out of her face.

"I love you." he said.

"And I love you." she replied.

They fell asleep in each other's arms, smiling.

* * *

**In the next morning**

Eileen woke up and noticed that Florence hadn't slept there in the bedroom; and in the corridor she noticed that her son's bedroom door was locked by a spell. She smiled, happy for the young couple - although a bit worried.

"Tiffany, where is Florence?" Eileen asked the elf as she entered the kitchen, just to be sure she was right.

"Tiffany's Mistress Florence slept in Severus' bedroom. Yes, she did, Mistress Eileen." answered Tiffany.

* * *

It was nearly noon already and the couple had yet to walk out of the bedroom.

Tiffany was about to clean the breakfast table when Snape and Florence appeared downstairs.

"Good morning, you two." Eileen greeted them. " And Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, godmother." said Florence hugging Eileen.

"Merry Christmas, mom." Snape also hugged his mother.

And the two teenagers were suddenly embarrassed for no apparent reason. Eileen knew why, of course. _They've probably realized I know about what happened that night._

"Whatever happened..." Eileen started to say.

"It's all my fault." interrupted Snape.

Eileen laughed.

"My dear son, I'm sure that anything that may have happened last night was not your fault, or anyone else's for that matter. I'm not judging you two, I only want to remind you that you need to be careful."

"I'm already taking a contraceptive potion, godmother." Florence said, blushing. "I kind of imagined that this could happen... so I asked Madam Pomfrey to give me some last month."

"That's excellent, dear! I've already told you that I want grandchildren; but not before you two are able to support them."

* * *

**Author's note: **it's definitely too hot in here right now.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

**A Special Birthday**

**January 9****th**** , 1977**

They still had two days left before going back to the castle. Florence had planned a very special birthday for her boyfriend. She'd transform his bedroom into a sexy motel room (something she saw in one of Lily's muggle magazines). She worked on it the entire day while Snape was helping Eileen take care of the excess snow in the garden. Once everything was done in his bedroom, Snape and his mother were also almost done with the garden. Florence showered and waited in the bedroom for him to show up.

* * *

Snape was tired.

It was his birthday today and that meant cake and presents, right? Wrong! He had had cake, yes, and got presents too, but right after those, he had to work in the garden. And he hated to help his mother in the garden. As soon as everything was done outside he ran upstairs, straight to his bedroom. All he wanted was to get in the shower and then find his girlfriend to finally have a really happy birthday. And a malicious smile formed on his face. Since last Christmas night, all they did at night was fuck and sleep, not exactly in that order. He stopped in front of his bedroom door but… it wasn't his door he was seeing. There was a strange door in the place where his should have been.

"What a hell is this?" he asked before opening the door, looking inside and quickly closing the door behind himself. That was not his bedroom, it looked more like some muggle motel.

"Evening, Severus." he heard her voice and then he saw her; Florence was dressed in a short blood-red nightdress. Her hair falling down her back, those deep green eyes staring at him. Was that lipstick on her lips? Probably, they were definitely redder than usual.

She walked closer to him.

"Happy birthday, Severus." she breathed over his lips. He tried to touch her, already getting hard just imagining all the things he would do to her that night. "No." she said, stopping his hands. "Shower first. You'll get to enjoy your present only after you shower."

He swallowed, his mouth going dry. He ran to the bathroom, jumping into the shower as fast as possible. When he was completely clean, he ran, naked, hair still dripping, towards the bed. She was there, kneeling on the middle of the bed, staring at him with a naughty smile.

"Come here and open you present, Severus."

"I can do anything with you tonight?" he asked while walking closer to the bed.

"Yes. I'm all yours." she answered.

He kneeled on the bed. His hands on her thighs, caressing her sides, her ass, going under her nightdress and pulling the fabric upward, taking it off her body. And so, Florence was naked, no bra or panties on. He took possession of her mouth, his hand on the back of her head, controlling her every move.

He made her lie down on the bed and kissed a path from her lips to her groin. One finger teasing her entrance, his tongue beginning to slide up and down her slit; he could hear her soft gasps and feel her hands grabbing his hair. Then he plunged two fingers inside her, his lips closing on her clit, sucking it.

"Fuck me…" she begged. "Oh, please, fuck me."

And he did; he forced her legs wider and with one sharp thrust he was inside her, balls deep.

Florence shouted, her nails digging on his shoulders, her channel gripping him so tightly he knew he could climax right then. He didn't move for a moment; he leaned over and kissed her, enjoying the feel of her delicious warm body under his. He began to move, but almost immediately, he felt her muscles clenching and he groaned, trying to keep a slow pace, but it was impossible. She was too tight and too wet; moaning _more, more, harder, deeper_, it was all too much. Then she tighten around his cock, moaning loudly, and he knew she was coming.

"Come for me…" he growled. "Don't close your eyes!" he ordered. "Look at me. See who is fucking you… who's driving you crazy with pleasure." he started to thrust faster. She threw her head back, her orgasm never ending. He forced himself not to come and rolled them over so that she was on top of him. "Ride me." he ordered.

"I can't, Severus…" she was totally lost in pleasure, her pussy clenching around his cock.

He held her waist with both hands and started to thrust himself up, fucking her, watching her breasts bounce with each hard thrust; he could also see saw his cock disappearing inside her body, the image driving him wild.

Florence steadied herself with her hands on his chest and began to move her hips, intensifying their pleasure, his cock hitting her deeper. She came once more before it became too much for him. He spilled inside her, feeling some of his come leak out of her, dripping on his balls.

She fell on his chest, touching him, feeling his warmth, listening to his heartbeat.

"Did you enjoy the surprise?" she asked.

"If I enjoyed?" he laughed. "Do you have any doubts about it, Mrs. Snape?"

She smiled brightly.

"I love when you call me that… I'm all yours, Sev." she kissed him, tongues caressing each other slowly.

The kiss stopped and Florence lay down by his side, her head still on his chest. She closed her eyes and he began caressing her hair. He noticed the moment she fell asleep, her breathing becoming deeper, calmer. He sighed. For a while now he had been noticing that when she said_ I'm yours._ something else appeared in her eyes. As if her lips said _I'm yours._ and her eyes complemented it with a _But..._

It didn't look like he would get any sleep that night. His mother's words echoing again in his ears. Florence's words were there too. He didn't want to think about a life without Florence, but he knew that was what the future had in store for him. It was already too late to go back on his decision.

* * *

**Author's note: s**o sad. Please forgive any spelling and grammar mistakes! I know they exist, for I read each chapter at least eight times before uploading it and I still have to go back and fix a few things every time. Leave comments, please!


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen  
**

**A Huge Stupidity**

**January 12****th****, 1977**

They traveled back to Hogwarts with no problems.

* * *

The year went on with no surprises. And at the end of the term, Slytherin won the House Cup and The Quidditch Cup.

The best thing was to see Sirius Black and James Potter – his head bandaged up for the third time that year – both dressed in Slytherin robes, delivering the Quidditch Cup to the Slytherin Team.

* * *

**May 1977**

The following day would be their last day in the castle before summer vacation. The next night there would be a big Ball to celebrate the end of the term.

* * *

Florence was walking to the Gryffindor common room. _Why does it have to be on the 7__th__ fucking floor?_ She thought. She finally reached it and stopped in front of the Fat Lady.

"Golden Hipogriff." she said, but the portrait didn't move, glaring at her disapprovingly. "Yes, I know the password. Now move!"

The Fat Lady opened the passage slowly.

As Florence entered the common room she found Lily, James and Remus in the couch by an open window. She sat with them.

"He's missing. Again." she tried not to cry, but some tears were already rolling down her face. "I wish I knew what to do…" Lily hugged her, letting her cry on her shoulder.

The boys looked at Florence; few times they had seen their Slytherin friend like that. Florence was always laughing and teasing and playing and talking about Quidditch or Potions, helping them with their dueling techniques or something; crying like that was just not characteristic of her. And those tears and sadness were always for the same reason.

* * *

It was late when Florence finally went back to the Slytherin common room. She had spent a great day with her Gryffindor friends and they had cheered her up considerably.

"Florence." she heard Snape calling her as soon as she had entered the common room. She turned around to look at him; she was suddenly filled with anger, she wanted to punch him. "Where have you been?" he asked.

"What? You can't be serious! Where _were you_ all day?"

"Out. With some friends."

"That's all I needed to know." she closed her eyes, already feeling the tears.

She went to the girls' dormitory.

Snape didn't stop her.

* * *

Florence cried under the hot spray of water. A shower had seemed a good idea to relax so she could try to get some sleep that night. But all she did was cry while the hot water ran down her body.

She got out of the shower and put on her pajamas. She walked back to the common room, maybe if she tried to talk to him once more, maybe he would understand and make the right decision. But he wasn't anywhere to be seen. She knocked on the boys' dormitory door. Regulus came to open it.

"I want to know if Severus is already asleep." she said.

"He… he's not here. I haven't seen him since we came back from… since we came back."

"Thanks. Good night."

_Where would he be at this time of night?_

She went out to look for him.

* * *

Snape left the common room and went for a walk. He knew he had already lost Florence. He knew this would happen, but it was happening too soon. He heard someone walking in the next corridor and hid behind a column. It was Rosmerta.

"Who is there?" the girl asked, the Prefect badge clipped to her coat.

"It's me." he showed himself.

"Well… this must be my lucky night." she smiled. "A hot night like this and I happen to find you, all alone, in a dark corridor…" she walked towards him, invading his personal space, touching his chest.

"I'm on my way back to my common room. Excuse me." he tried to get away from her but didn't succeed.

"No need to hurry." she said, touching her body to his. "We are all alone here, we have all night…"

"What kind of cheap whore are you?" he snarled.

But Rosmerta took no offense and smiled brighter.

"Any kind you want me to be, Severus."

And she kissed him.

* * *

Florence was walking around the corridors near the Slytherin common room, trying to find him. She heard some noise in a nearby corridor and went there. And then she found more than she was looking for.

* * *

"Severus?" Florence asked, not wanting to believe her eyes.

The kissing couple jumped apart; Rosmerta had a big smile on her lips.

"Florence, this is not…" Snape started to say.

"… not what I think it is?" Florence interrupted. "Really, Severus?" she looked at them both and just left the corridor, running upstairs to the Gryffindor common room.

"Damn it!" Snape shouted, hitting the wall with his fist.

"Let her go. Let's get back to what we were doing, Severus." said Rosmerta, trying to touch him again.

He pushed her away and the girl almost fell to the floor. He looked at her with disgust in his eyes and ran after his girlfriend; at least he hoped Florence was still his anything.

* * *

Florence found Lily and James snogging on the sofa. The couple jumped when they saw her and her red eyes.

"What happened?" asked Lily, holding her friend.

"As if we don't know already, Lils…" said James. "What did Snape do this time?"

"I saw him with Rosmerta… they were…" she couldn't find words to speak anymore.

"WHAT?" screamed both Gryffindors.

"I can't believe he did this to you!" said James shocked. "What a stupid asshole!"

"Did he see you?" Lily asked.

"Yes." Florence tried to wipe her face. "I think he followed me here. I heard footsteps behind me on the stairs but I didn't look back to see if it was him."

"I'll go out there and see if he shows up." James got up from the couch and left the common room.

* * *

Snape was sitting on the floor, his head on his hands. He saw when James walked out of the common room.

"Is she ok?" he asked.

"Yes." answered James. "Is there _any_ explanation to what Florence saw? Because even if there is one, it won't change the fact that you're an idiot."

"I was walking, Rosmerta found me and kissed me. Florence saw it. End of story."

"Why didn't you stop her? Don't tell me she surprised you! Everybody knows Rosmerta has a crush on you!"

"Yeah, I could have stopped her but… I've already lost Florence."

"And whose fault is that?"

"Mine, ok? I know that! I was stupid enough to lose a girl like Florence. "

"For the first time I must agree with you." said James. "You really are stupid."

They fell silent for a moment.

"Is she staying the night here?" Snape asked.

"Yes. She's probably sleeping already; crying always leaves her tired. She's been crying a lot lately, you know, because of you."

Snape felt like he had been slapped.

"I really don't deserve her."

"But there's not much that can be done about it, right? The Enchantment and all that…"

"Someone told me that The Enchantment does not guarantee that we'll stay together. If she really has a reason she can find a way to live far from me." Snape murmured.

"Is that what you want?" James asked.

"No! I am just an idiot..."

"You can try and apologize."

"She won't forgive me."

"Yeah, she probably won't." said James before walking to the Fat Lady portrait. "Will you stay there?"

"Yes." said Snape nodding.

James hesitated before asking:

"Are you serious? You love her enough to sleep on the floor but you keep on screwing all up. I don't understand you, man."

"Don't try to."

James shook his head and went into his common room.

* * *

**On the following morning**

Florence was leaving the Gryffindor common room when she saw him.

"Severus? What are you doing here?"

He woke up startled, looking around, remembering where he had spent the night.

"Good morning, Florence. I've been waiting for you." he streched and yawned.

"Since when?"

"Yesterday."

She stared at him, not believing his words.

"You've slept on the floor? Why?"

"To ask for forgiveness."

"No." she sighed. "Not this time." and she walked downstairs.

He followed her.

"I didn't do anything! Last night she…"

Florence stopped in the middle of the stair and turned to look at him.

"It's not only about last night and you know it! You keep going out with those so-called friends of yours! What were you doing yesterday? Where were you all day?"

"Inside Hogwarts grounds. We didn't leave the school. And we were just talking."

"_Talking_? You spent all day just talking. Fine! Can I know what you were talking about?"

"You can, but you wouldn't like to know."

She sighed and said:

"You've made your choice, then."

"No. Not yet." he lied.

The stairs moved.

"Show me your left arm." she said.

"How do you know about…?"

"I know many things, Severus. Your arm."

"There's nothing on it." he showed it to her. "I already told you what my intentions are. I only want to work for them because of…"

"Power and money. Yes, I know. And that just proves how little you know about them."

They walked downstairs in silence until they reached the dungeons.

Snape held her arm and made her stop.

"If you know something, tell me!" he ordered.

"I know nothing!" she forced her arm out of his grasp. "All I know is that I've spent many weekends at the Black and Malfoy Manors and I saw how they truly lived; I saw the fear, as big as their greed. And I've never, not even for a moment, wished that I was one of them."

"That's because you're not poor." he accused.

"I already told you I don't give a fuck you're poor!" she was furious.

"But I do!"

"You're the biggest idiot I have ever met!" she shouted.

She entered the Slytherin common room and left him alone in the corridor.

* * *

A few minutes later they were walking to the Great Hall. In silence. Florence sat at the Gryffindor table. She not even looked at him.

"Are you still going to the Ball tonight with him?"

"I don't think I'll go to the Ball, Lily."

"You could go with me." invited Sirius.

"I'm just not in the mood for parties today, Sirius. But thanks for the invitation."

A few meters from them, at the Ravenclaw table, Rosmerta was telling her friends – in a very loud voice, what had happened to her the night before and how she thought that now she was really going to get Snape to herself.

"I think he'll invite me to go to the Ball with him tonight." Rosmerta said. And many students turned to look at Florence to see what she was going to say to that. She said nothing. "Hey, Lily!" Rosmerta called. "You are a good friend of his, has Severus told you anything?"

Lily turned to the Ravenclaw table and answered:

"Yes! As a matter of fact he told me everything about some whore who threw herself at him last night in a dark corridor. He told me how he pushed her away and went to sleep in front of the Fat Lady."

"Why did he sleep there?" asked a friend of Rosmerta's.

"Because Florence was inside our common room and he couldn't get in to talk to her."

"He slept on the floor for her? Wow, he must really like her…" the same girl murmured.

Rosmerta got red with anger. Florence briefly looked her way, a small satisfied smile on her lips.


	18. Chapter 18

****Chapter Eighteen****

****One Last Dance****

After lunch, Snape found her alone in the common room.

"Are you still going to the Ball with me?" he asked.

"Yes. Tonight is our last night in the castle before summer vacation. And..." Florence paused and looked at him. "It'll also be our last night as a couple."

He stared at her in silence.

"Is there anything I can do to change that?" he finally asked.

"Yes, there is, but you won't do it. I've given you many chances, Severus. You threw them all away. This is the end."

He could see she had tears in her eyes. He felt his heart breaking, but he just nodded.

* * *

****That same night****

Snape watched her getting out of the girls' dormitory. She was beautiful in a dark pink dress, her long hair loose, small flowers in it.

"You look beautiful." he murmured when she stopped in front of him

She ignored him.

He offered her his arm and she took it. They walked to the Great Hall in silence.

* * *

They sat with the Gryffindors. Florence talked to her friends as she usually did while Snape stayed mostly quiet, only talking when he was spoken to.

"Hey!" Florence suddenly exclaimed. "What is that on your finger, Lily?"

Lily blushed, touching the ring.

"I proposed to her." answered James.

Florence hugged her friends.

"Ooh! I'm so happy for you two!"

"Never thought you'd have the balls to do it, Potter." said Snape. "Congratulations."

"Thanks." laughed James.

"Have you already decided when you're getting married?" Florence asked.

"Yes. Next February 14th."

"How predictable, James." Florence said, laughing.

"And when will you have the balls to propose to Florence, Severus?" asked James.

Florence looked at Snape, a sad smile on her face.

"Don't hold your breath. We both have plans to go to college and get a Master's degree before getting married, right, Florence?"

"Exactly. We've already discussed it." she lied.

The band started to play and all the couples went to the dance floor. Florence and Snape danced one song; one last song before saying good bye to their friends and going home.

* * *

Florence spent her summer vacation traveling.

She went to see her godmother only when she knew for sure Snape wouldn't be home. What happened a lot. Eileen was more than just worried about her son's disappearances but there was nothing any of them could do.

* * *

****September 1977****

Florence went back to Hogwarts. That was her last year there. She saw Snape every day, they even worked together in Potions, but she treated him like a stranger. He tried to talk to her many times but she ignored him every time.

Florence knew he would still leave the castle some nights with Travers and the others. And on the weekends he never returned to the common room before early morning hours. He would find her asleep on the couch in the common room those nights; she tried to wait up for him, reading on the couch, but she would always fall asleep long before he arrived.

Florence was worried; he was ruining their lives. And there was nothing she or anyone else could do about it.

* * *

****December 1977****

****Christmas Break****

Florence had promised Eileen she would spend Christmas with her, for that reason she went to Spinner's End after the last day of classes. Snape went home too. But they ignored each other the best they could and only talked when necessary.

* * *

It happened the day before Christmas.

Snape had left the house at three that afternoon; the clock showed nine p.m. by the time Eileen went to bed and he had yet to give any sign of life. Eileen went upstairs worried. Florence could see the tears in her godmother's eyes and decided that she had to do something. She needed to know where he was, if he was still alive, if he wasn't dying in a dark alley somewhere. She ran upstairs, changed her clothes as silently as possible so to not wake Eileen up and grabbed a coat. Florence walked back downstairs and, with some Floo Powder, she entered the fireplace.

"Delacour House, Hogsmead." and among the green flames she disappeared .

* * *

After she brushed off the soot and dust off her dress and coat, Florence looked around her house. The utter silence making the pain stronger. She had imagined it all. They would get married in the backyard, a simple celebration. Their kids would grow up in this house; Hogsmead had great pre-schools and it was small enough to allow her to feel secure living there.

But none of that would happen.

She wiped off the wet trails the tears had left on her face and walked outside.

* * *

Florence was sitting at a table inside Madam Pudifoot's Tea House, looking outside. She could feel he was near. His magic called hers. But it was 11 p.m. already and she had yet to see him. Apparently she came all this way for nothing. __He is probably at Rosmerta's and I'm here, worrying about him like an idiot.__ She dropped a galleon on the table and walked outside to the snow covered streets.

She saw that Rosmerta's father's bar, the Three Broomsticks, was still open and she some men were leaving the place. She recognized them.__ Travers, Nott, Abraxas Malfoy, his son Lucius and the other one...__ And there he was, dressed in black from head to toe, his face hidden by the hood of his cloak; but she recognized him, she could feel his magic, her own recognizing his as its fated one. She hid behind a big rock and listened to their conversation.

"I never thought you could do it, Severus." said Lucius.

"I thought you would be useful only as our future Potions Master but now... after what you did tonight." Abraxas laughed. "Those aurors really didn't see that coming. Congratulations to you all and welcome. Your fathers will be very proud of you." he said to Nott and Travers "We'll be seeing you three again soon to brand you as one of us."

Florence was frozen in place. She watched as the Malfoys Disapparated and Travers and Nott said their good byes as well. Snape was finally alone on the street. She didn't know what to do. She walked out from her hiding spot and let him see her.

He looked shocked for a second.

She shook her head disapprovingly before turning around and walking back home. But she heard him running after her. Snape grabbed a hold of her arm and made her turn around to look at him.

"Let's have a drink together." he wasn't asking, he was pulling her towards the Three Broomsticks.

"Let go of me!" she forced her arm out of his grasp. "The only thing I'm drinking right now is poison!" she seethed and he stopped to stare at her, watching the tears that were running down her face; tears of anger or sadness, he couldn't say; perhaps both. "Maybe once I'm dead it'll stop hurting so much..." she said in a shaky voice.

Florence looked at him one more time; then she turned around and walked away.

He let her go.

He stood there in the middle of the street watching her go.

He remember her voice saying it was the end and he allowed his tears to fall.

__I've lost her. Forever.__

* * *

Florence went back to Eileen's house. She sat on the couch, no longer holding back the sobs that were cutting her chest open. Eileen walked out of the kitchen to find her goddaughter crying and sobbing inconsolably, still covered in soot from the fireplace.

"Flor, dear. What happened? Where did you go?" she sat beside Florence.

"He did it, godmother. He's one of them. I saw it. Tonight... he killed someone. He passed their test."

"Oh, dear..." Eileen started to cry too. "There's no way back now."

"No."

They cried together for a while.

Later Florence packed. She couldn't stay there any longer.

She was hugging Eileen when Snape finally got home. He looked at her suitcases on the floor by the fireplace and he knew she was leaving.

"Don't forget about me, ok?" Eileen asked. "Come visit me whenever you want. You'll always have a home here."

"I know. Thank you for everything. I love you, Eileen."

And without looking at him, Florence made her suitcases smaller, put them in her pocket and got into the fireplace.

* * *

****Author's note****: just so you know, I've made some changes here. In the original fic Flor and Sev made peace one more time before the real shit happened but I've decided to change that. I love stories that make me suffer, life is already boring enough.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

**We're Together Now **

Florence spent the Christmas day with the Evans.

The two girls spent most of the day in Lily's bedroom, talking.

* * *

"Lily, there's something I want you to know. It's about my family." Florence said, right after lunch.

"What could be so awful about your family to make you so reluctant to talk about them?"

"The thing is... my father, he's not a nice person." Florence looked at Lily. "Promise me you won't run away from me; promise me you'll still be my friend."

"I promise, Florence." Lily noticed it was a serious thing. "You're scaring me."

"My godmother knows and Dumbledore does too. I want you to know because you're my friend and I just... I need you to know. You deserve to know." Florence paused before saying: "He-who-must-not-be-named, he's my father."

Lily stared at her friend for a moment. Maybe she was expecting Florence to say that she was joking or something, which she didn't.

"Are you serious?" Lily asked.

"Yes."

"Should I say my condolences or something like that? Wow... Florence that's really awful."

"That's why I can't keep dating Severus... he's one of them now. And if my father finds out I love him... he'll kill him."

"Because he's half-blood." Lily completed.

"Yes. And, also, I can't imagine raising my kids like the Malfoys do; I can't bring kids into this world only to see them turn into my father's puppets. No. I just can't do that. I can't see myself spending a nice weekend at the Lestranges' house."

Lily laughed.

Florence looked at her and murmured:

"Thanks for not kicking me out of your house."

"I know you, Florence. You're not your father." Lily hugged her friend. "But what will you do about Severus? You still love him..."

"I'll always love him." Florence said with a sigh. "But I'll try to move on; find someone that is special enough to help me forget him..." a tear fell down her face. "I miss him, Lils... I miss his dark eyes staring at me enigmatically, I miss his kisses, his hands. And his voice whispering in my ear... I miss that so much. He would make me go crazy with just a few touches and some words whispered in my ear..."

"TMI! I already understood. And I have to say... you're doomed, my friend. Who could ever help you forget a person that gives you such intense feeling as he does? Just talking about him has you all worked up." Lily looked at her, having an idea. "Well... Sirius could help you forget him."

"What?"

"Yes! It's the perfect solution. Sirius's been crazy about you since, like, forever. My parents won't be home tomorrow night, so James will come here to have dinner with me and, well, you know... the thing is, he could bring Sirius and you two could talk and get to know each other better, that kind of thing."

"I don't know, Lily..."

"Just give the poor mutt a try!" said Lily, really excited with that idea.

"Ok." Florence conceded.

* * *

The following night, Florence told James and Sirius about her father as well. The boys understood and said they still liked her and that she was not her father. They also promised her they would always be friends, no matter what, and Florence nearly cried while James hugged her.

* * *

After dinner, Lily and James went to the red-haired's room to... well, you can imagine what they went there to do, all by themselves, behind a closed door.

Florence and Sirius were sitting it the living room, watching TV. Florence on the couch, Sirius on the floor.

"You look sad." he said. "I won't ask you what or who you're thinking about. I can imagine."

"I'm sorry, Sirius... I can't avoid it."

"I can help you, you know." he got up from the place on the rug he had been sitting and sat beside her on the couch. "I know you still love him, you probably always will; but if you think you can at least like me a little... please, give me a chance to show you that I can make you happy. I can make you happier than he ever could."

"I don't know, Sirius. To me it sounds like I would be playing with your feelings or using you, because I know you like me..."

"I love you." he interrupted.

"But there's The Enchantment and... perhaps I'll never be able to forget him."

"Let me make you happy, Florence... "

She sighed sadly.

"You understand that I don't love you, Sirius?" she gravely asked him.

"Yes. But you'll love me someday, I'm pretty lovable."

Florence softly laughed.

Sirius fell on his knees in front of her.

"Will you give me the honor to make you happy?" he asked, one of her hands in his.

"Yes, Sirius." Florence conceded. "Let's try this craziness."

He sat beside her again, never taking his shining eyes from her face. He caressed the back of her neck with one hand, bringing her face closer to his and then he kissed her lips, softly at first, but then Florence bit his lower lip and he took that as an invitation for more; his tongue met hers and they snogged on the couch for a long time.

* * *

When James walked back downstairs, he found the couple watching cartoons on TV. Sirius had his arm over Florence's shoulder and they were sitting very close to each other. He knew he should be happy for his friend, Sirius had always loved her and now he finally had her. But he couldn't; he knew she would hardly forget Snape. James was a realistic person, while Sirius was a dreamer.

James sat on the couch with them.

After a while, Florence kissed her boyfriend good night and went upstairs to go to sleep.

James just looked at them, it was as clear as water that she was still suffering because of Snape, only Sirius didn't want to see that.

* * *

Florence found Lily leaving the shower.

"So, did you talk to Sirius?" Lily asked.

"Yes. We're together now."

"What? Details!" Lily left the bathroom and sat beside her friend on Florence's bed.

"He said he wants to help me forget Severus. He said he can make me happy and he even kneeled down to ask me to let him try it. So I said yes." Florence tried to force a smile.

"That's good, Flor... he's completely different from Severus... he may be good for you."

"I believe that too."

But as she said good night to Lily and her head hit the pillow, Florence's heart told her a different tale. She hadn't felt a thing while kissing Sirius earlier; she had felt his love for her, yes, but she couldn't give any of it back. _Will I ever be able to love Sirius?_ She asked herself. He was handsome, smart, funny; every girl in Hogwarts wanted him.

Florence tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. The problem was, she knew the truth; she had been trying to fool herself but she knew it. It was not for Sirius that her body sang and her magic called; were not his the hands her body yearned for; it was not his the voice that could make her shiver with pleasure. It wasn't Sirius who made her heart beat faster. And she knew it. She knew it all.

And then the tears came.

* * *

**January 9****th**** 1978**

Two couples were walking by the snow covered park. It was a really cold day but the snow had stopped falling. A weak sunlight could be seen shining in the sky.

"Florence!" someone called her name.

She turned around to see Eileen walking on the sidewalk, carrying some grocery bags. Florence kissed her boyfriend and said goodbye to Lily and James and then ran towards her godmother, hugging her and then taking some grocery bags from her.

"Let me help you." Florence said and they began to walked side by side.

"Thank you. How are you, dear?" Eileen asked.

"Can't complain. And you?"

"I'm fine."

They walked side by side, in silence.

"Come in and have tea with me." Eileen invited, as they reached the house.

"Is he…?" Florence needed to know.

"No. He's hardly ever home nowadays… even today being his birthday he prefers to be elsewhere with Merlin-knows-who, doing Merlin-knows-what…"

Florence nodded and followed Eileen into the house. They entered the kitchen and left the bags on the floor. A small house elf appeared, looking into the bags, picking up things and putting them away.

"Good afternoon, Mistress Eileen." said the elf.

"Hello, Sam."

"Is she yours?" Florence asked.

"Yes, Severus gave her to me for Christmas. Sam prepare us some tea, please."

"Yes, Mistress!" said the elf happily. "Sam will make it right away!"

Florence and Eileen sat at the table. Sam, quickly and efficiently, organized the table for their tea.

"What have you been doing, Flor?" Eileen asked.

"I stay mostly at home, in Hogsmead. And sometimes I come to sleep at the Evans. I feel kinda lonely in Hogsmead." Florence picked up a strawberry muffin and started to eat it.

"I saw Sirius with you at the park… you kissed him." Eileen said, filling their cups.

"Yes, we're together now." Florence murmured before sipping her tea.

Eileen looked at her and said:

"You're using him."

"No. No!" Florence said almost desperately. "Sirius knows I still love…" she paused and sighed, rephrasing her sentence: "He knows I don't love him but... he said he loves me and he's asked for a chance... so I gave it to him."

Eileen sipped her tea and asked sadly:

"Everything could have been different, couldn't it?"

"Yes." Florence murmured, tears pooling in her eyes.

"You have every right to move on with your life, Flor…" Eileen sighed. "Just promise me that when you have a child you'll bring the baby here for me to help you take care of him or her. I'd like to be your children's grandma, if that's ok with you."

"I promise I'll never forget you and I thank you, godmother. But… that will be really difficult to happen."

"What do you mean?" Eileen asked, confused.

"Because of The Enchantment, my magic may not accept me bonding with another person's magic. I read once that it can even interfere with my body and… perhaps I'll never be able to conceive a child if the father is not…"

"Severus." Eileen completed, nodding in understanding.

"Yes." Florence blushed. "If I hadn't met him it would be different because my magic wouldn't know there's a perfect match for me, but now that I've met him... I'm doomed."

They fell silent while they sipped their tea and ate some muffins.

"How is he?" Florence couldn't stop herself from asking.

"Not well. But I don't know for sure. I haven't seen him since Christmas. He sent me money three days ago; a large sum. He's also bought a bit of the neighbors land and now my backyard is bigger." Eileen sighed. "It's just too much too fast. It makes me wonder what he has been doing in the last two weeks to get so much money."

"Is he going back to Hogwarts?"

"He's told me that he is." Eileen finished her tea and looked at Florence. "He's also mentioned a lot of meetings... do you know what happens in those meetings, Flor?"

"I'm not sure, but I think they make plans… I remember my father talking to some men and doing just that, planning. Then, I thought they were planning business related things; but now I think they were planning attacks… in the meeting I saw the last time I was at his house, they had killed someone. Avery's muggle wife; and she had died expecting their first baby." Eileen was shocked. "But I believe Severus is working in some sort of laboratory. Making Potions and... stuff. He told me once that they would pay a lot for a mind such as his."

"What would you-know-who need potions for?"

"To help when someone is hurt. Severus probably prepares things like anti-inflammatory, blood-replenishing and reconstructive potions. Perhaps Skele-Gro and Polyjuice as well as poisons."

"I see."

And they were silent again. But Florence quickly broke the silence:

"I have a new house elf, her name's Melody. I got her to help Tiffany, because sometimes we, James, Lily, Sirius and I, make a lot of mess at my house and Tiff can't handle it all on her own."

Eileen just smiled and asked:

"Can you stay the night here, so we can talk more?"

"What if…?" Florence felt her heart beating faster.

"He won't come home. I haven't seen him since Christmas, I've already told you that."

"I just…" Florence was nervous.

"What are you afraid of, Flor?"

"I just... I don't know how I would react if he… showed up here in the middle of the night." Florence said, blushing.

Eileen nodded.

"I don't mean to pry, but have you and Sirius…?"

"No." Florence blushed even redder. "I just can't. I don't feel like that towards Sirius."

"So, will you stay so we can talk a bit more?" Eileen asked again.

"Yes." Florence conceded. "I'll just grab my things at the Evans' house and then I'll come back here."

* * *

**Author's note: **you can imagine what's going to happen, can't you?


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

**A Night To Remember**

Snape was tired.

The meeting earlier that night had been horrible; too many plans had gone wrong; too many mistakes had been made; therefore, lots of punishments had been delivered.

It was nearly 4 a.m. when Snape finally arrived at his mother's house. Complete silence greeted him as he closed the front door. The fire in the fireplace had long been extinguished. So Eileen was probably already asleep. He went to the kitchen; he was feeling achy and feverish, maybe what he needed was some really cold water. He drank the water and felt slightly better. He slowly walked upstairs. But he stopped as soon as he reached the top floor; from the corridor he could see that his bedroom door was open. He never left his door open. _Maybe she's here_. he thought hopefully.

Snape stopped by the door and peeked inside. Florence was really there. On his bed. Her sweet perfume mixing with his in the bedroom and making him yearn for her. He walked slowly towards the bed, closing the door on his way in. Florence was wearing one of his long-sleeved shirts, an old white one. He could feel the power of her _Veela_ blood reaching out to him. He sat on the bed, watching her sleep. He felt tears roll down his face and got up. He needed a shower, so he went to his bathroom.

* * *

Florence woke up with the shower noise. She got up, wand in hand and saw that the bathroom door was open. She peeked inside to see who was in there and then she saw him drying off his body with a white towel.

Snape walked out of the bathroom to find her wand pointed at his face.

"What are you doing here, Snape?" she growled.

"What are _you_ doing here? This is my home, I live here." he replied, an ironic smile on his thin lips.

"This is also my godmother's house and I'm a guest here tonight. You were not invited to stay here. Get out of this house!"

"This is my bedroom, Miss Delacour. If anyone had to leave that would be you, not me."

She angrily turned her back on him and started gathering her things. She took a dress and went into the bathroom to change.

Florence left the bathroom, grabbed her suitcase and walked to the door without looking at him not even once; she didn't want him to see the tears that flooded her eyes and threatened to overflow.

But he already knew about them; he could feel how sad she was. And he saw that her eyes were sparkling more than usual because of the tears.

With one movement of his wand the door was closed. And Muffliato was cast.

Florence stopped by the door but didn't turn around.

"Open the door." she asked in a low voice, feeling some tears roll down her face. "Please, Severus."

"I can't... I'm sorry, I just can't let you go." he walked the few steps between them and hugged her from behind.

Florence let her suitcase fall to the floor, turned around and tried to push him way. But he held her tightly in his arms. One of his hands went behind her neck to caress her hair, and then moved to her chin, lifting it so that their lips were close. He touched his lips to hers softly, at first. But soon his tongue was on hers and they were kissing scorchingly.

Florence tried once more to push him away but she was neither strong nor she wanted it enough. His lips were on her neck, he was biting and licking her skin; making her moan softly, letting him know she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

"Stop, please." she voiced breathlessly, but her hands betrayed her words and pulled him closer.

Snape pushed her against the closed door and sent her dress to the floor, leaving only a pair of white lace panties and a matching bra covering her body. His towel joined her dress on the floor; her bra and underwear following. They were both naked and breathing hard.

He lifted her off the floor, and Florence wrapped her legs around his waist; and he carried her to bed, lying down on top of her; his body covering hers, his hands touching her everywhere, as if reclaiming her body as his; his mouth on her nipples, on her belly, moving down slowly to her entrance, but he didn't touch her there yet; he licked her inner thighs, and then kissed his way back to her mouth.

He touched his nose to hers in a soft caress and opened his eyes, she did the same. They stared into each other's eyes, thoughts running wild inside both their heads. They knew they shouldn't do that, but they also knew they weren't able to stop. They needed to feel each other.

Snape kissed her again, his tongue possessing every corner of her mouth while his hands played with her nipples, making her head spin with pleasure. One hand left her nipples to touch between her legs, feeling how wet and ready for him she was. He grabbed both her arms and pushed them up above her head, holding them there. He positioned himself between her legs and started to penetrate her, insanely slow, trying to make the moment last. But Florence moved her hips up, forcing him deeper. They both moaned.

"Fuck me, please." she begged.

And he couldn't stop himself from doing exactly what she had begged for. He fucked her deep and fast; listening to the her moans and screams of _more, more, more_. His name on her lips, her body so hot, covered in a thin sheen of sweat; she raised her hips to meet each thrust as he pumped into her. He felt her pussy spasms around his cock and knew she was coming. He fucked her harder, making her scream louder, completely lost in pleasure. He never stopped moving inside her while she was coming. And then she clamped around his cock and he couldn't hold out much longer. Thrusting into her deeper and faster, he came, filling her up with his seed.

After the last spasms of his orgasm had left his body, Snape released her arms, holding himself up on his elbows to stare at her face. Florence's eyes were closed and she had a sad smile on her lips.

He reluctantly let his softened dick slip out of her body and lay down beside her, holding her in his arms, her head on his chest. He kissed her lips softly. She kissed him back, one of her hands going to his hair, caressing him lovingly. But Florence didn't open her eyes. She couldn't; she knew if she looked at him she would start crying. She missed him so much, but that couldn't happen again. That shouldn't have happened in the first place.

They fell asleep with their lips still touching, breathing in each other's air.

* * *

**On the following morning**

Eileen woke up and went downstairs. She found Sam in the living room, a dirty black coat in her tiny hands, and a cold prickle of fear fanned up her spine.

"Sam... what's that in your hands?" she asked the elf.

"Master Severus' coat." the little elf answered a bit confused by Eileen's worried expression. "Sam will wash it."

"He's really here." Eileen gasped. "Where did he sleep, Sam?"

"In his room."

_Oh, dear._

Eileen ran upstairs, knocking on her son's door.

* * *

Florence woke up, stretched and yawned, feeling very relaxed. She'd had the most wonderful dream. She could still feel his arm around her waist, she could feel the weight of his hand on her belly, his breathing on her neck. She could even feel him moving behind her own naked body.

Wait. _Why Am I naked?_ She closed her eyes. _No, no, I didn't. I couldn't have..._ and she turned around, hoping to find the bed empty.

It wasn't.

Florence jumped out of the bed. And then she heard a knock on the door. She quickly found her wand and took the Muffliato spell down. She heard Eileen's voice:

"Florence, dear. I've been knocking and calling you for a while. Is everything ok?"

"Yes. I just..." Florence looked at Snape still on the bed, now awake and staring at her, a small conceited smile on his lips. She looked down at herself. She was completely naked! She ripped the covers from the bed and quickly covered herself, furious at him. "I'll be out in a moment, Eileen." she said, picking up her suitcase from the floor. "Don't say a word." she mouthed to him.

But Snape ignored her.

"Good morning, mother." he said out loud.

"I have no idea what you're doing home, Severus!" Eileen screamed angrily from the other side of the door.

He didn't say anything to his mother. He got out of the bed and grabbed Florence by the waist before she'd reached the bathroom.

"Stop!" she screamed. "Let me go!"

He took her wand from her hands and cast the Muffliato spell again.

"You cant' say everything we did last night didn't mean anything to you, that it didn't make you feel something! You can't keep ignoring what we feel to each other."

"I can and I will!" she pushed him away. "Let me remind you, Severus. This was your choice! You chose them over us. You! Not me!" she got her wand back from his hands, pointing it at herself, fixing her hair and conjuring some clothes. _Why haven't I thought of doing that before?_ She sighed exasperatedly and said: "Anyway... I'm dating Sirius now."

"What?" Snape shouted. "You must be joking!"

"I have all the right to move on with my life."

They stared at each other. Florence felt tears come to her eyes and roll down her face. She wiped them away with her hand.

"You knew my opinion about your life choices, Severus. You've made your choice. A choice I've never approved of. If this situation is not of your liking, it's your fault."

She grabbed her suitcase from the floor and left the room.

Florence found Eileen in the corridor; she looked at her godmother who took one look at her tear-stained face and suitcase and nodded, understanding that Florence was leaving.

* * *

Eileen heard Florence opening and closing the front door. She took a deep breath and waited no longer to get into her son's room.

"You better be dressed because I'm going in!" she said, furiously. "What are you doing here?"

He had a pair of sweatpants on but no shirt.

"I came home to sleep. I live here, remember?" he replied.

"Why didn't you let me know you were coming?"

"How was I supposed to know that she would be here?"

"If you had told me you were coming home I wouldn't have allowed her to stay the night here!" Eileen shouted. "Lord knows what you must have done to her."

"You say that as if I made her do something! I would never force Florence to do anything, mother. I thought you knew me better."

"I no longer recognize you, son. I don't know you anymore."

"I didn't force her. She loves me, I love her..."

"If you love her, then why did you choose them instead of her?" Eileen was crying now.

"I had nothing to offer her, mom. We are... we were poor. Now I'm on my way to make a fortune. I chose them because of her!"

Eileen slapped him hard across the face.

Snape looked at her, shocked.

"Don't _ever_ repeat that." Eileen said, furiously. "I don't want to hear you blaming Florence, blaming her love for you... you made your choices. You never asked _me_ what you should do and you certainly didn't even need to ask _Florence_ to know her opinion about them." Eileen left his room, going to her own. She sat on her bed, letting the tears roll free now. She cried for her son, for Florence and for herself.

* * *

Florence entered the Evans' house through the back door, she knew they were already up at that hour. She found Mrs. Evans in the kitchen, wished her a good morning and ran upstairs, getting into Lily's bedroom, crying.

"Florence, what...?" Lily hugged her friend as soon as Florence entered her room.

"He was there, Lily." Florence let the tears roll. "He got there in the middle of the night and... " she couldn't speak any longer.

"I can imagine what happened." Lily said.

They sat on the bed.

"I hate him..." Florence murmured, trying to stop the tears.

"We both know that's a lie." Lily said sadly.

"I should hate him..."

"Will you tell Sirius about that?"

"No. It would crush him. Only you and Eileen know. I don't want to hurt Sirius."

They sat in silence for a while.

"I have my wedding dress to try on today. Wanna go to the seamstress with me?"

"Really? Wow... that's true... in a little more than a month you'll become Mrs. James Potter." Florence faked a disgusted face.

"And it's all you fault!" laughed Lily. "You played cupid and now we're getting married!"

Thirty minutes later the two girls went downstairs to go to the seamstress.

* * *

At the end of that day Florence's mood had improved considerably. She could even pretend that the previous night had been only a dream; that way it was easier to forget the constant pain of his betrayal - an open wound in her heart.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-One**

**The Wedding Day**

**January 1978**

The classes began; they all went back to Hogwarts.

Florence not even looked at Snape any more. She couldn't. She knew her eyes would betray her if she looked his way.

* * *

**Friday*, February 14****th**** 1978 **

Dumbledore let those invited and the to-be-married couple leave the school to attend the wedding ceremony.

Florence and Eileen were at the Evans'; they would go to church with Lily's parents. And a limousine would take the bride.

Lily was gorgeous, her white dress covered with little sparkling flowers and her hair loose, curled at the tips.

"I'm so nervous." Lily said.

"Why? Today is only your wedding day! After today you'll belong to James Potter. Could anything be worse than that?" joked Florence.

"How are you feeling?" the red-haired asked, worried.

"I'm fine." answered Florence a bit confused by the question. "But why do you ask?"

"Sirius told me you've been feeling under the weather these last few days. He said you even vomited once..." Lily said.

"Oh, that was just something I ate." Florence lied.

"What? Why didn't you tell me anything?" asked Eileen. "What have you been feeling?"

"Just some nausea and dizziness. But I haven't felt a thing since yesterday so relax you two, I'm fine. I'm not sick."

"Good. I don't want to see my maid of honor passing out in the middle of my wedding." Lily hugged Florence.

"You know you still have time to give up on this wedding." joked Florence trying to change the subject.

* * *

The church was beautifully decorated with lilies and wildflowers. Eileen sat on a bench on Lily's side of the church and Florence went towards the altar - where Sirius and James already were. She stopped by her boyfriend's side, giving him a soft kiss and accepting the arm he was offering her.

"Are you feeling all right?" Sirius asked worriedly.

"Stop telling everyone I haven't been feeling fine. Eileen and Lily thought I was dying or something."

"Ok. But I didn't lie, you passed out and vomited this past week." he paused, staring at her with worry. He sighed and spoke: "But tell me, how is the bride?"

"Nervous. I tried to show her the huge mistake she's about to make but..." James turned to stare at her and Florence laughed. "I'm joking. Relax! She's on her way and looking gorgeous." she noticed something on James' face. "Come here a moment, please." she motioned him to come behind Sirius and she put her hand on his face. "Impervius." she murmured. "Now you'll stop looking like you've just got out of the shower."

"Thanks." James hugged her. "You're the best. I'm so nervous."

Two minutes later _Here Comes The Bride _started to play and the wedding began.

* * *

Florence, Sirius and Eileen left the church while the newlyweds were receiving hugs and words of advice from their guests. They went to the ballroom where the dinner party would happen, they went to check if everything was in order.

Florence walked into the kitchen and instantly regretted going there. All those smells just made her stomach jump and she ran out as soon as she had gone in. As she once again reached the space reserved for the dance floor, she discovered that running hadn't been a good idea. She saw Eileen coming in her direction but suddenly it was like the floor was moving too fast and then everything went black.

* * *

"Sirius!" Eileen shouted as she grabbed Florence so she didn't hit the floor as she passed out.

Sirius came running.

"What happened?" he asked, taking Florence in his arms.

"I saw her running out of the kitchen and as I was getting near she just started to fall onto the floor." Eileen was worried. "What is wrong with her? You told Lily that Florence has been feeling ill for some time now."

They walked to a couch by the restrooms, where Sirius laid Florence on.

"It's been a week now." he said. "She'd stopped having breakfast with us and I got worried. Some days she even skipped lunch. And the days she did have lunch, she would just run to the bathrooms right after eating. One day I followed her and I saw her vomiting."

"Could she be...?" Eileen looked at Sirius, trying to make him understand what she meant.

"N-not possible. We haven't..." he said blushing.

Eileen sat on the couch near Florence's head and started to try to wake her up.

"Flor, dear..." she hit her cheeks lightly. "Did she go to see Pomfrey?" Eileen asked Sirius.

"No. She said it wasn't necessary, that whatever it is that she has will pass soon."

At that moment Florence came to, sitting up on the couch, slowly.

"What happened?" she asked.

"You passed out, Florence!" Eileen exclaimed worriedly.

"I haven't eaten much today..." Florence murmured.

"Sirius, can you bring her something to eat?" Eileen asked.

He nodded and left towards the kitchen.

Eileen stared at Florence with a small smile.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Florence asked, feeling uncomfortable.

"You know where I think these dizziness and nausea come from."

"Wh-what? No. That's not possible. Sirius and I haven't..."

"I know you haven't. And I'm not talking about you and Sirius."

"Eileen, I haven't talked to Severus since..." Florence looked at Eileen, suddenly understanding what she had meant. "Oh, no. Do you think I may be...?"

Sirius got back from the kitchen with a small plastic plate in his hands with some food in it, which he gave Florence. She took one look at the food and ran to the Ladies' Room. Eileen thanked Sirius, giving him back the plate and walked after Florence into the restroom. She found her goddaughter on her knees by a toilet.

"I don't think it, I'm almost certain that you are pregnant." Eileen said.

"But I always took the Contraceptive Potion on the 7th day of every month." Florence said, getting up from the floor, flushing the toilet and going to the sink to wash her face and rinse her mouth.

"Have you been taking it since you two broke up?" Eileen asked.

Florence closed her eyes. No, she hasn't. She hadn't even thought about the Contraceptive Potion since they broke up.

She dried her hands, trying not to look at Eileen. She could feel her heart race. She had thought about the possibility that she might be pregnant, but at that moment she was almost sure of it; and she was absolutely scared.

Eileen started to laugh and hugged Florence.

"I'm afraid." Florence admitted.

"Don't be, my dear! I'll help you every step of the way. You won't be alone."

"If I'm really pregnant, godmother, no one can know who the father is. My father would kill him if he knew and he could even come after my baby..." Florence started to cry. "I'm so scared. How will I be able to go to a doctor? I know I have to see one, to check if the baby is fine and..."

"Calm down, sweetie. Pomfrey will help you, she's a trained physician, after all. You can trust her." Eileen hugged her again. "I know you're scared to death but I'm so happy! I'm going to be a grandma!" she laughed, crying happily.

* * *

Eileen couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the day.

Florence was quiet. Too quiet. The thoughts running through her mind going from extremely happy to scared to death. She couldn't even dream telling Snape she was pregnant. No. He would want them to marry and... then she would have to raise her family near her father. No way! She wouldn't tell him. If she were really pregnant, Snape would never know he was the father. Florence just had to find a way to tell Sirius about the night she cheated on him and the baby that resulted from it. That would go brilliantly:_ Sirius, you know that night last month when I slept at Eileen's? Well, Severus got there in the middle of the night and... well, you can imagine what happened. Now, I – You-Know-Who's daughter – am pregnant with one of his Death Eaters' baby. Funny, right?_

Yeah, right.

_No. Not funny at all._

* * *

After the party, Florence went straight home. She had a Pregnancy Test in her bathroom cabinet. Pomfrey gave it to her when she asked for the Contraceptive Potion. All she would need was a drop of her own blood and within seconds she would know the truth. Florence entered the bathroom and quickly found the vial containing the whitish liquid, she opened it and, with a needle, pricked her index finger. She closed her eyes and let a drop of blood fall into the Pregnancy Test Potion. She took a deep breath. _Pink for negative. Yellow for positive._ And she opened her eyes.

The liquid couldn't be yellower.

Florence didn't know whether to cry or laugh. She did both. Tiffany, her house elf, opened the bathroom door, worried.

"Is Mistress Florence all right?"

"Yes! NO! I just don't know, Tif." Florence put the cork back in the vial and showed it to the elf. "Look! I'm pregnant! And I have absolutely no idea what to do." she sat on the closed toilet.

"Tiffany helps you with the baby. Tiffany knows how to care for a child. And Mel will help too."

Florence laughed softly.

"I know all that, Tif. I'm just scared."

The elf looked at her for a moment.

"Mistress Florence wants Tiffany to call Mistress Eileen?"

"No. Not tonight. She'll probably be here first thing in the morning anyway. Just bring me some tea, Tif and I'll try to sleep."

The elf nodded and left the room. Florence showered, put on some comfortable pajamas and went to bed.

As she laid her head down on her pillow, Florence let her hand go over her flat stomach and she couldn't stop the smile that came over her lips. She was scared. She was terrified. She was seventeen years old and she was going to have a baby. And she knew that in the future there was going to be a war. But she couldn't stop smiling; that child was fruit of their love. That was a piece of Snape, a piece of their love, that she'd have forever.

She drank her tea, while imagining the child's hair, his eyes, his tiny hands. And she couldn't stop smiling. She fell asleep with a smile on her face and her heart full of love for her unborn baby.

* * *

Early next morning Florence woke up with Eileen screaming like a Banshee near her bed.

"I'm going to be a grandma! Yippee!" Eileen opened the bedroom window and walked to the bed, hugging a barely awake Florence.

"I see you've found the pregnancy test..." Florence murmured.

"Yes!" she hugged Florence again. "I'm so happy! Get up! I'm calling Pomfrey here."

Florence got up, changed into comfy clothes and by the time she was leaving her bedroom she could hear Eileen explaining the situation to Madam Pomfrey.

* * *

During the whole examination, Pomfrey cast some strange spells over Florence's body to test her blood parameters and also to see the baby inside her womb (like a muggle ultrasound). Eileen had tears in her eyes as she looked at her grandchild for the first time.

"I can't see a thing." said Florence, lying down on the couch, staring at the weird image floating over her body.

"The baby is not big enough to have discernible limbs yet." Pomfrey calmly answered. "But everything looks perfect." she stopped the spell, the image disappeared, and looked at Florence. "You know you'll have to stop playing Quidditch, right?"

"Yes, I thought so." said Florence, sitting up on the couch.

"You only have a little more than three months at Hogwarts so I think it won't be difficult to hide your condition. But you'll have to tell someone at school so that if anything happens to you they'll know to call me immediately."

"I'll think of someone."

"It would be better if you lived with your godmother as well. It's not good to be pregnant and alone... you could get depressed and that wouldn't be good for the baby."

"Ok. I'll move my things to Eileen's house if that's fine with her."

"Oh, my dear Flor." Eileen hugged her. "It's more than fine! I'll love to have you in my house!"

After lunch, Pomfrey went back to Hogwarts and Florence took some of her things to Eileen's house.

* * *

**Sunday**

The next day Florence would be going back to Hogwarts. She woke up early to organize her things in Severus's bedroom – her bedroom since the previous day. But she was so nauseated she couldn't find the strength to get off the bed and do anything. She called Sam, Eileen's elf, and asked for some ginger tea. After she drank it and ate some cookies Eileen had sent with the tea, she finally got up and started her day.

* * *

Eileen was in the kitchen thinking about what would she do for lunch now that Florence had woken up with an upset stomach, when she heard knock on the door. She could imagine who it was at the other side of the door. She had sent her son a letter the day before, saying she needed to talk to him.

She opened the door.

"It's good that you came, Severus..." Eileen looked at his face, his bruised face, and she noticed the way he was leaning on the wall as if he needed help to hold himself up. "What happened to you, my son?" she helped him get inside the house.

"She's here, right?" he murmured.

"Yes, that's why I sent you a letter." Eileen left him sitting on the couch. "You're never home and Florence lives all by herself in Hogsmead so I've invited her to live here with me. If you need to sleep here someday just let me know and I'll make a bed for you on the couch. She's in your bedroom and..."

"No problem, mom. It's fine." his voice sounded tired. "I just wanted to talk to her before I go... I want to try one last time to..."

"To try what, Severus?" Eileen interrupted. "You made your choice, my son."

"I know, I just..."

"You've hurt her enough already, don't you think?"

"Yes, but... I love her and I need her... just let me talk to her for a moment."

He looked up and he saw her there. Florence was by the bottom of the stairs.

She heard everything he'd said. She also saw Eileen helping him get to the couch. He was hurt. She felt tears filling her eyes but she didn't let them fall.

"You're wasting your time here." Florence said, not looking at him. "I don't want to hear a word from you. I told you it would be worse outside of Hogwarts. And I've already forgiven you more than I should. You knew my opinion about your choices. So we have nothing more to talk about."

"I love you..." Snape said.

"Shut up." Florence felt the tears falling. "Go away. Leave us alone!" she had to send him away, she needed to think about her child's safety. "You've hurt us enough already."

No one spoke again for a while.

Snape looked from his mother to the young woman he loved more than anything in this world. He knew Florence was right, she had warned him. He took a deep breath, got up from the couch and walked, limping, to the door; he opened and closed it without another word.

Florence felt her legs go weak and she passed out.

* * *

When she came to, she was back in her bedroom and there was someone by the bed.

"Sirius? What are you doing here?" she asked, sitting up.

"Hey, you're up, at last! I came to visit you. Eileen told Lily you would be living here with her and I... I'm worried about you." he helped her sit up more comfortably on the bed and hugged her. "Do you know what's wrong with you?"

"Yes, and..." Florence felt tears flood her eyes again._ Today is shaping up to be an awesome day._ She sarcastically thought. "I need to tell you something, Sirius. But I don't want you to hate me..."

"I could never hate you, Flor." he said, smiling and holding her left hand.

She closed her eyes feeling some tears roll down her face.

"We started dating on December 26th , right?" she asked him.

"Yes." he said, looking confused.

"That night I came to sleep here..."

"Yes..." he murmured, no longer smiling.

"He was here." Florence said. "Not at first! He wasn't here when I arrived. He appeared here, in the middle of the night and... I just couldn't... The Enchantment makes it impossible to resist and..."

"You slept with him." his voice was just sad, not accusing.

"Yes. And now... I'm pregnant."

Sirius let go of her hand and got up from the bed, going to the window, without saying a word.

"Will you tell him?" he asked after a while.

"No." she wiped her tears away with the duvet. "What I've said before still stands: I want to forget him. I want to move on with my life." she looked at him. "Please, forgive me... don't hate me."

"I don't hate you. I'm just... you've hurt me, Florence." he whispered.

"I know." she cried harder. "I'm so sorry."

He sat back on the bed by her side.

"It's all right. I forgive you." he said.

"Thank you, Sirius." she took his hand on hers, the tears stopping to fall.

They were silent for a moment.

"Look, if you still want me by your side..." he began.

"What are you talking about?" Florence was the one confused now. "Sirius I'm pregnant with the baby of the man you hate the most in this world. I cheated on you."

"I know. I know... but I love you. And I can't let you handle this all by yourself. You'll need a father for this baby. I'm just saying I want to be him. If you'll have me."

"You won't break up with me?"

"No. I won't abandon you."

"You're unbelievable, Padfoot!" she threw her arms over his neck, hugging him, laughing and kissing him.

"Can I tell everybody we're pregnant?" he asked.

"No! Remember who I am... not everybody can know about this baby. You can tell Lily and James though. I was thinking about asking them to be godparents... what do you think?"

"Perfect!" he exclaimed. "I totally agree!"

They heard Eileen knocking on the door and saw she coming in.

"Are you hungry, dear?" Eileen asked.

"A bit, yes." said Florence.

"Me too." said Sirius.

"Let's eat, then. I made meat soup."

* * *

**That same night**

Sirius had long gone to the Potter's house and Eileen and Florence were watching TV in the living room.

"I got so worried today..." Eileen said. "When I saw Severus like that, all hurt... limping."

"I told him it would be like that."

"Will it ever stop?"

"I don't know... but I think not. My father used to train me, and he used to cast even Unforgivables when he thought I needed a lesson. If he did that to his own child... I can only imagine what he would be able to do with his Death Eaters..."

They looked at the TV for a while, in silence, none of them really watching the movie.

"Promise me you won't take my grandchild away from me... I've lost my son, I can't..." Eileen started to cry.

"Don't worry, godmother..." Florence sat beside her and hugged her. "I'll never get my child away from you... I'll never leave you alone."

"I remember when Severus was a kid..." Eileen gave a sad laugh. "He was such a grumpy child... If this baby turns out to be like his father... we better be prepared to hear a lot of grumbling."

Florence smiled.

* * *

**Author's note: ***In real life, February 14th ,1978, is a Tuesday not a Friday.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

**Back to Hogwarts**

**February 17****th****, 1978**

Lily and James walked into the Great Hall hand in hand. As did Florence and Sirius – who kissed his girlfriend as soon as they sat at the Gryffindor table.

* * *

The first day of classes was normal.

Florence was no longer Snape's partner in Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts; she became Lily's partner.

* * *

That first night, Lily, James, Florence and Sirius spent some time at the Gryffindor common room, talking about the wedding and other things.

"We have something to tell you." Sirius said.

"What is it?" Lily was curious.

Sirius looked at Florence and she nodded. He smiled before saying:

"We're going to have a baby."

"WHAT!?" exclaimed the Potter couple.

"Florence is pregnant." Sirius said in a low voice. "But we have to keep it a secret, you know... because of her father..."

"Yes... we understand." said James. "Wow, man! I can't believe you'll be a father!" he hugged his friends. "Congratulations!"

"Would you two like to be his or her godparents?:" Florence asked.

"Of course!" shouted Lily. "That'll be wonderful!"

And they kept on talking til it was time for Florence to go back to her common room.

* * *

**One night, at the Slytherin common room**

Florence was studying alone at a table in the corner of the room; Snape walked out of the boys' dormitory and sat in front of her.

"Why don't you want to work with me anymore?" Snape asked her.

"I just think it's better this way." said Florence.

"Better for whom? I have to work alone now!"

"If you think all of our classmates are stupid and you can't work with them, that's not my problem, Severus." replied Florence, not looking at him, reminding herself that it was indeed better that way.

Snape just looked at her. Florence didn't look at him, her eyes on the essay she was writing for History of Magic. After a while, he got up and left her alone.

* * *

**April 1978**

The months passed by quickly. April had finally arrived and the weather was less chilly. The N.E.W.T.s were getting closer and closer every day.

* * *

**It was late night, nearly two a.m.**

Snape sat alone in the Slytherin common room. The Mark had burnt as soon as he'd laid his head on the pillow. He couldn't answer to the summoning; the Dark Lord knew he was inside Hogwarts' grounds and couldn't attend his call. But he couldn't go back to sleep either.

Snape went to the library, where he found the same Potions book he and Florence had shared when they studied together for the first time. It seemed so long ago.

_Florence_.

During classes she never looked at him, but he was always looking at her.

He hated his life, hated to see her walking around hand in hand with the mangy mutt. And every time Sirius Black kissed her, Snape just wanted to kill him. Did he regret his past choices? Yes, every day. But there was no turning back. He had already made some Potions and Poisons for the Dark Lord and the Lord had enjoyed using them. He had even complimented Snape personally. And Snape had received a hefty sum of money for his work. _No. There is no way back to Florence._ He tried to focus on the money, the power, the prestige... but on nights like that, when he was all alone, the Mark burning on his arm, he just wished he could turn back time and make the right choice for once.

He heard the library door opening and turned to see who was going there to bother him. And then he saw her. _Florence_. He quickly hid behind a bookshelf and watched her. She was crying. He could hear the small sobs and feel the sadness that emanated from her. She sat at a table, her head lying on her arms. _She is as gorgeous as ever_. He thought, remembering that he had overheard some girls talking about how Florence was getting heavier, that she was fat now. He watched her closely and... well, that was true, she was bigger than he remembered her to be but she was still beautiful. _She's even more beautiful now than before_. There was something about her, he didn't know exactly what, but something was making her look dazzling. _It doesn't matter that she's bigger, she's perfect_. He accidentally hit one of the lamps that were on the small tables between the shelves.

Florence obviously heard the loud noise.

"Who's there?" she asked. Snape walked toward the light so she could see him. "Oh, it's you..." she whispered and wiped away the tears. "What are you doing here at this hour?"

"I was studying." he replied, arching an eyebrow.

"Of course." she got up. "I'll leave you to it then." she walked to the door.

"Stay. Please." he asked in a low voice.

Florence turned around and they just stared at each other. He could feel her _Veela_ power reaching out to him, making him want her even more.

"Good night, Severus." she murmured and left the library.

He didn't go after her.

Florence entered the Slytherin common room, empty at that time, and sat on one of the comfiest armchairs, tears were rolling down her face again. _Stupid hormones. Stupid Severus. _She thought.

* * *

When he got to the common room she was still there, on the armchair, crying. He kneeled in front of her, not touching her.

"Why are you crying?" he murmured.

"As if you couldn't imagine the reason..."

He didn't say anything, his eyes traveling to the nearby couch, the biggest one in the common room. They had spent hours snogging on that couch. He missed her. He needed her so much her absence was a physical pain.

"I love you." he blurted.

She lifted her head, looking at him furiously; her beautiful green eyes red from too much crying.

"Your point?" she growled.

"No point. I love you and I just wanted to say it."

"You just wanted to say it." she repeated getting angrier by the second. "You're an asshole!"

"What?" he was confused. "What did I do now?"

" It's not what you did NOW! It's what you have been doing lately!" she got up from the armchair. Snape quickly stood up and grabbed her arm. "Let me go!" she almost shouted. "You fucking asshole! You have no idea what you're doing to me!" she punched his chest repeatedly, but she didn't put enough strength in it; soon he was holding her in his arms and she was crying against his chest. It took a while, but the tears finally stopped to fall. She had probably cried herself to exhaustion. "Let me go, now." she pleaded, lightly pushing him away.

They stared into each other's eyes.

Florence noticed how tall he was; taller than three months ago. He was almost a feet taller than her; and he was bigger too, his chest was broader and... Stop, Florence! She ordered herself. Don't go there!

But he took advantage of her silence and how close they were. Suddenly, his arms were around her waist and she was being kissed; thoroughly ravaged. He pushed her up against the nearest wall, pinning her body down with his and letting his hands roam everywhere, going under her blouse, touching her soft skin. Her fingers were working on the buttons of his shirt, trying to get it open. He took the shirt off over his head and then stopped as he remembered what she could see. He took a step back and covered his left forearm with his shirt.

Florence noticed what he was doing.

"If you're ashamed of it why did you do it in the first place?" she asked.

"I'm not ashamed of it. I just don't want to scare you."

"The Dark Mark doesn't scare me, Severus." she took his shirt from his hands and stared at the Dark Mark, not daring to touch it in case it reacted to her blood. "I'm not afraid of this..." she closed her eyes, giving his shirt back to him. "And... I love you too." she murmured. "But we must go our separate ways. You've made your choices and I can't live with them."

She went to her dormitory, leaving him alone in the common room. Snape spent most of the night there, lost in thoughts.

* * *

**May 1978**

The Slytherin common room was celebrating one more Quidditch Cup. Florence was there with Regulus. She had noticed he was thinner and looking more tired than usual. She knew the reason, she knew he had received the Dark Mark just like Snape, Nott, Travers and many others.

"Flor, don't look to your right." Regulus ordered.

Taken by surprise she did exactly what he had asked her not to.

"He's... he's here with _her_?" Florence couldn't believe her own eyes. "He's celebrating Quidditch and he brought her here? But he never... when I used to play on the team he never celebrated with me." and the tears were coming again. "I have to get out of here."

Regulus didn't stop her.

* * *

Florence went to the Astronomy Tower. She liked to think of that place as _their_ tower, hers and Snape's, for they had spent many nights there bringing each other to the edge of madness, kissing, touching, nearly fucking on the floor and against the wall.

She cried harder.

She knew she should stop crying so much. It was probably not good for the baby. But be it hormones or the fact that they had been apart for months, she just couldn't stop crying.

After a while, Florence heard some steps on the stairs. She quickly got up from the floor and hid behind a column. Then she recognized a voice. _No. No. It can't be... he wouldn't! _Yes, he would. Snape had brought Rosmerta to their tower. It was just too much to handle. Florence walked out from her hiding spot, not caring if they saw her or not, and ran towards the stairs.

Snape stopped kissing Rosmerta and turned around just in time to see Florence reaching the first step.

"Florence...?" he asked and then ran after her, leaving Rosmerta in the tower by herself.

Florence was almost at the bottom of the huge staircase that led to the top of the Astronomy Tower when she heard him calling her name. She looked back to see if he was near enough to catch her, and suddenly she was falling down. She hit her head on one of the last steps of the staircase and everything went black.

"Florence!" Snape shouted running faster to where she was lying on the floor. He kneeled beside her. "Florence!" he shook her and touched her face but she didn't wake up. He took her limp body in his arms and ran towards the Hospital Wing.

He kicked the Hospital Wing's door open.

"Madam Pomfrey!" he shouted putting Florence on a clean cot.

"Why are you shouting in my...!" she came screaming at him, but stopped once she saw Florence. "What did _you_ do to her?!" she shouted at him while running to Florence's side, passing her wand quickly over the girl's body, checking the baby.

"She rolled down the Astronomy Tower staircase." Snape explained.

"Oh, no!" Pomfrey saw Florence had a small blood stain in her pants between her legs. "The baby!" and her wand started to glow, moving over Florence's body in efficient circles, looking for the reason of that blood stain.

"_Baby_?" Snape murmured, frowning with confusion.

"Yes! Florence is pregnant! Mr. Snape, go find Dumbledore. Quickly! And bring Sirius Black here too, please."

He nodded and left the Hospital Wing. The pain in his chest almost unbearable. _She is pregnant... with Black's child. _He found Dumbledore in a corridor and told the Headmaster what had happened and that he needed to go to the Hospital Wing. Dumbledore gave him the Gryffindor password and then Snape ran to the Gryffindor common room.

* * *

When Sirius arrived at the Hospital Wing, Florence had already come to and was talking to Pomfrey.

"What happened?" Sirius asked, taking Florence's hand in his.

"I fell down the stairs..." Florence didn't want to explain anything anymore. "But I'm fine now. The babies and I are fine."

"_Babies_? As in more than one baby?" asked Sirius.

"Yes, two baby boys." confirmed Pomfrey. "And this fall of yours, it wasn't anything serious but it could have been, Florence! That's why I've asked Dumbledore to come here. Florence, you must leave Hogwarts." Pomfrey looked at Dumbledore. "She has to rest until the end of her pregnancy. She can't be surrounded by stressful situations and here... "

"I understand, Poppy." agreed Dumbledore. "If she has to leave, then she must leave."

"But what about the N.E.W.T.s...?" Florence asked.

"You go home and you rest. Next month you'll come back here just to take the tests. I don't think you'll have problems with the N.E.W.T.s even if you don't attend classes." said the Headmaster, smiling.

"I'll send a letter to Eileen and gather my things, then." Florence said.

"Good. You'll leave in the morning, right after breakfast." said Dumbledore. "Good night, dear." and he left the room.

Sirius kissed Florence's hand and leaned over her to kiss her lips.

"Why was it Snape who brought you here?" he murmured.

"Because I saw him with..."

"I can imagine." Sirius interrupted. "Regulus told me they are together."

Florence tried not to cry again.

"Then I ran and fell down the stairs." she completed.

He touched her slightly rounded stomach.

"You're all fine, that's what matters most." he kissed her once more.

"Yes. Two boys, Sirius!" she was so happy.

They hugged, not knowing that they weren't alone. Snape was there, watching the whole scene. He had tears in his eyes, his blood boiling in his veins. He left before he stormed inside the hospital wing and killed Black.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty Three**

**Lost &amp; Lost Again**

**May1978**

**Tuesday**

**Spinner's End**

Since the day Florence had got there Eileen noticed something was not right with her goddaughter. Florence was eating correctly, walking every morning, and doing everything Pomfrey had ordered her to do. But something was awry. Eileen saw her crying almost everyday; and she knew whom she could blame for that. She knew whom her goddaughter missed; and she had to do something about that. Eileen and Florence would go for a walk in Hogsmeade the next day in the afternoon, so Eileen sent Dumbledore a letter.

* * *

After sending the letter, Eileen found Florence sitting on an armchair in the backyard porch.

"How are you feeling today?" she asked Florence.

"Fine. It's just too hot..."

"Will Sirius be able to meet us in Hogsmeade tomorrow, Flor?"

"No. Dumbledore didn't allow him to leave the school not even for a day. Sirius is not doing well in his classes... he may not even get enough N.E.W.T.s to pursue a career in the future."

"So it'll be just the two of us then." said Eileen.

Florence nodded, not saying anything else. She just stared at the garden, looking at the flowers.

"What's wrong, dear?" Eileen asked, worried.

"Nothing is wrong."

"Don't lie to me. I saw you crying more than twice in the week you have been here. What did my son do, Florence?"

Eileen saw tears fill Florence's eyes.

"I was in the Astronomy Tower..." Florence began.

"The same tower you two used to..."

"Yes. I was there..."

"Crying." Eileen completed.

Florence nodded and continued:

"I was in the tower when he arrived with Rosmerta..."

"He took other girl to your Tower?"

"Yes." one tear fell, Florence wiped it away. "When I saw them kissing I ran and rolled down the stairs."

"What? Why didn't you tell me anything?" Eileen asked, concerned.

"I didn't tell you before because I knew you'd worry. And I'm fine, we're all fine. Oh, and about that... I'm having twins, Eileen."

"Two babies!" Eileen exclaimed happily.

"Yes. Two boys."

"Who helped you when you fell? You obviously didn't walk to the Hospital Wing on your own."

"No. I was unconscious. Severus took me there."

"Oh. So now he knows you're pregnant?"

"Yes."

Eileen didn't say anything about that.

"Let's have tea?" she invited Florence after a while.

"Yeah. I'm hungry."

And they went to the kitchen.

* * *

**That night at Hogwarts**

Snape was at the library again; alone and trying to study.

But he couldn't stop thinking the huge mess his life had become. He was dating Rosmerta, but she didn't make his blood boil with desire or his body react as Florence did.

_Florence._

He'd received a letter from his mother earlier that day; she invited him to go to spend the following day with her in Hogsmeade.

He gave up on studying and left the library, going to his common room. He had to sleep. Dumbledore had given him permission to go, so the next afternoon Hagrid would take Snape to Hogsmeade.

* * *

**On the next day**

Snape could imagine why his mother was in Hogsmeade, Florence was probably there too. As he walked beside the half-giant towards the village all he did was think about her.

* * *

Eileen and Florence walked around Hogsmeade and went to Honeydukes. In the store, Florence started to select which candies she would buy – she had been having a huge craving for sweets those last few days.

"I'll wait for you at Madam Puddifoot's. Is that all right?" Eileen asked.

"Sure. I'll meet you there in no time, godmother."

* * *

"Your mother is waiting for you inside." said Hagrid, pointing to the Tea Shop. "Apparate to the castle's gates before it gets dark out and I'll be there to open them for you. Have a nice day."

"Ok. Thank you."

Hagrid went back to the castle and Snape went into the shop. He found his mom sitting at a table, all by herself, eating a muffin.

"Hey, mom." he sat in front of her. "Has anything happened?"

"No, dear. I just miss you. I came to Hogsmeade and decided to see you. Are you ok?"

"Yes. I'm fine." he looked at his mother, noticing she stared at the front door from time to time. "Is there something else you're not telling me?"

"Yes." Eileen sighed and looked at her son. "It's about Florence. She's not well. She says she is but I know she's lying."

"Mom, that's not my business. You should have called Black, not me." Snape replied, making a face.

"I know what you did, Severus. I know you are the one to blame for her getting hurt."

"It's not my fault if she didn't like what she saw. She's happy with Black now, isn't she? Why can't I be happy too?"

"Don't do this, my son. You love her."

"But that doesn't matter, does it?" he asked almost furiously. "She's pregnant with Black's children, he is probably going to propose to her soon."

"Yes, that's... true." Eileen bit her tongue, she wanted to tell him the truth but she knew she couldn't.

"Where is she?"

"She was at Honeydukes. She'll be getting here soon."

"I'm leaving now, then." he got up from his chair.

"Look, there she is." Eileen saw her goddaughter stopping by the window and walking away.

"She's leaving?" he asked.

"Apparently she wants to see you as much as you want to see her." murmured Eileen.

"I'll bring her back." he left the shop, running after Florence. He touched her arm to make her stop, she turned around to look at him. "Hi. You don't have to leave. Go inside with my mother. She called me here but I'm leaving already."

"If she wanted to see you, stay." Florence murmured.

"Would you like me to stay?"

"No. It's not that." she stuttered. "I just don't want Eileen to get upset with me because I made you leave."

He looked at anything but her.

"Ok. Let's go inside, then." he said.

They walked into the Tea Shop, going to Eileen's table.

"Why were you leaving, dear?" asked Eileen.

"I am feeling tired, I'd like to go home."

Eileen looked at her watch.

"But look at the time! It's been more than two hours we are walking, you ought to be tired, indeed. We'll go home soon, dear." she looked at her son. "Now, tell me about you, son. How are you? Ready for the N.E.W.T.s?"

"Yes. I try to study a bit more everyday but..." _I keep thinking of her._ He looked at Florence. "But I feel more than ready to finish Hogwarts."

Florence stared at him. She had heard that thought._ It is not possible! _They had been apart for months, that connection shouldn't be still forming. But she was sure she had heard something. She decided to make a test. _If you can hear this, grab you tea cup with your right hand._ She sent him.

Snape looked shocked for a second but did as he was told. As his right hand closed around the cup, Florence looked away. Maybe those intense dreams she had been having every other night were not only hers after all. Maybe they were shared dreams... She blushed.

"Eileen. We must go." she blurted.

"Ok, dear."

"I'll return to the castle." he said, leaving two galleons on the table to pay for their tea.

"Why don't you walk with us, my son?" invited Eileen.

"No, thank you. I must return to the castle." he kissed his mother cheek. "Bye, mom." and then he took Florence's hand, lightly kissing it. "Good-bye, Miss Delacour."

He walked towards the castle.

The two women walked slowly to Florence's house.

* * *

"It makes me so sad the way you two treat each other." Eileen sighed. "I remember how you were before all this... always together, kissing, touching, laughing... and now..."

"This is how it has to be, Eileen."

"I know. I understand." she touched her goddaughter's rounded stomach. "I know it's for the safety of these babies... but it hurts me to see my son so sad."

"How can he possibly be sad?" Florence said disdainfully. "_Poor him_. How sad he must be while he fucks that whore. Rosmerta." she said the name as if it was a dirty word.

"How do you think he feels when he imagines you sleeping with Sirius?" Eileen asked.

"Why on Earth would he think such thing?"

"You're pregnant, Florence. You said the father is Sirius."

"Oh... I guess you're right."

They reached Florence's house and walked inside in silence.

* * *

Before reaching the castle's gates, Snape Disapparated to London. He sat in a quiet park. It would be getting dark soon. He looked at the kids playing around the park, their parents talking near them.

_How fragile life is. All these muggles have no idea what it is to come. They believe in their weapons, their soldiers... but none of those will be able to stop the Dark Lord._

He lay down on the moist grass. The children's laughter and screams reaching his ears and making him give a sad smile. Closing his eyes he played in his head his favorite movie. The one where he and Florence were married, hand in hand, walking in the same park they used to go with Lily and James not too long ago. Two kids running around them, a boy and a girl.

And he couldn't find the strength to open his eyes. He knew the tears would fall. _Why didn't I listen to you, Flor? Why did I make the wrong choice? ...you've warned me so many times and I ignored you. I'm such an idiot... I threw you into Black's arms, and now you're his. Not mine. Not anymore._

He sat up, opening his eyes to see that the park was now almost empty. He felt the tears falling and wiped them away.

He had money and a certain power already. But he also had responsibilities. He knew he had many deaths on his shoulders, too. He'd never raised his wand to kill anyone, but his poisons were the responsible ones. So it was his fault anyway.

He sighed in defeat. He wanted out. The war had not even begun and he wanted out already. _I am a coward._ He stood up at that thought. _No. Never a coward. _He would never be like his shitty excuse of a father. Severus Snape was no coward.

He still remembered one of the worst meetings he had ever been to. How many people had died in front of him as the Dark Lord tested his poisons' effectiveness.

He ran to his mother's on the next day, ready to beg for Florence's forgiveness. Something he knew he would never had._ I don't deserve it._

And he thought of all those muggleborns he knew were going to die simply because they were unfortunate enough to be born outside of a magical family; a pureblood family. People like Lily would be on that list. And Florence's voice was in his head reminding him she had told him that. She had warned him that there would be more than simple detentions out there for when he misbehaved. Only he hadn't done anything wrong, he had only concocted some poisons and watched people die because of his work. _Yeah. I did nothing wrong. I like to lie to myself._

There was no way out now. If he left the Dark Lord's circle, he'd be hunted down and killed. There was no way into the Order Of Phoenix either. He had the Dark Mark on his arm. There was no options. Not anymore. The time to make choices was over. All there was left to do was to live with the consequences.

He Apparated to Hogwarts' gates. Hagrid was there. They walked to the castle in silence. Snape took a shower and went to bed.

His soul might be broken but at least his body could get some rest.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-four**

**N.E.W.T.s &amp; Sadness**

**June 1978**

Florence went back to the castle to attend the Newts.

LINHA

**First day**

Potions, Ancient Runes, Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures.

Florence finished all of her exams and walked to the Gryffindor Tower. She got herself in and waited for her boyfriend in one of the armchairs. She fell asleep.

"Flor, dear." Sirius woke her up.

"What took you so long? I fell asleep..." she yawned and stretched. "Where's Regulus? I haven't seen him all day and..."

"He's dead." he interrupted.

"What? How...?"

"My parents didn't tell me... Dumbledore was the one who told me. He was a Death Eater and it had been more than two weeks that he was missing. He was not home and hadn't been going to the Death Eaters meetings."

"How do you know about this last part?"

"Snape. I asked him. He told me."

Florence looked at the window. Regulus was her friend, he was a pureblood and now he was dead. _What if Severus is next? _She couldn't control the tears that came. Sirius held her as she cried, thinking she was crying for his dead brother. She let him think that.

LINHA

**Second and last day of exams**

Defense Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic, Spells, Aritmancy and Transfiguration

Everything was going fine so far. Florence was doing great on all of her tests.

She was by the lake, then, there was a nice wind there, she was sitting reading a book under a tree.

"Florence." someone called her.

"What do you want, Rosmerta?" she didn't even look at the other girl.

"Have you heard the news?"

"No, I haven't. But I think you're about to cure me of my ignorance."

"Now, Severus and I, we are a couple. So you better keep your distance."

"I don't know what's exactly your problem but..." Florence looked at Rosmerta then. "I'm pregnant with Sirius babies. I have no intention on any other man but my children's father. Why are you here, really?"

"Just warning you away from _my_ Severus."

"I consider myself warned enough." Florence growled. "I also have a warning to give you. Enjoy your boyfriend while you can. Regulus is dead already. Snape could be the next."

"And if I happen to be the next, I believe that's none of your business." she heard his voice before she saw him get near them.

"You're absolutely right. Don't expect to see a tear from me. This was all your choice." Florence got up and walked to the castle, trying to hold back the tears.

LINHA

**At Night**

This would be their last Ball in the castle as students. Some of them would be marked or dead by this time next year.

Florence walked into the decorated Great Hall with Sirius, Remus, Peter Pettigrew and the Potters.

_She looks beautiful._ It was all Snape's mind could think of as he watched Florence walking in with the mutt; her swollen stomach making her look even more gorgeous.

They had a great dinner, as always; and once the music started to play Snape watched Florence dancing with Sirius. But the couple didn't dance for long, Florence felt dizzy and asked Sirius to return to their table. Snape saw the mutt kissing her and passing her some cold water.

Dumbledore, McGonagall and Slughorn passed by her table and talked to her animately. Snape nearly ran out of the Great Hall before Rosmerta asked him to take her to the dance floor.

LINHA

**July 1978**

Florence was at Eileen's. Snape hadn't been home since he left Hogwarts after the Ball. Florence couldn't be alone (Pomfrey's orders) and Eileen didn't want to leave the house in case her son showed up there.

Six months pregnant although she looked nine already; Florence was huge. She felt huge. And it was hot. She didn't feel comfortable inside the house, so she walked to the park everyday and also visited Lily and James. Today was one of those days when the sun didn't spare a soul.

Florence was dressed in her most comfortable dress, her hair was braided. Sirius held her hand while they walked in the park going towards Lily and James who were sitting beneath a tree.

"Hey, Florence. How are you three?" asked Lily.

"I'm feeling really uncomfortable... the babies probably think they are being roasted or something. Let's go have an ice cream?"

"Yeah. Let's." agreed Lily.

LINHA

After grabbing their ice creams, they walked near the pound and watched the ducks being fed by some passers-by.

Lily touched Florence's belly.

"Which one will be our godson?" she asked.

"The firstborn." said Florence. "And he'll be named James."

"Thanks for the homage." James Potter joked.

"Oh, please. Shut it. I just love that name." Florence was laughing but suddenly she got serious, gripping her boyfriend's arm.

"What are you feeling, Florence?" Sirius asked, worried.

"I'm just dizzy. It's too hot today. You better take me home."

"When are they due?" asked Lily.

"October. Pomfrey said they are healthy and in a growing beautifully. She thinks if I go into labor earlier it'll be all right." she sighed, tired. "I just can't wait for the winter to come..."

The two of them said good bye to the Potters and started to walk to Eileen's house.

LINHA

As they got to Eileen's, Sirius helped Florence to the back porch where she sat on a comfy chair.

"I'll get you some water." and he left her alone.

Florence felt the babies moving more than normal. She was feeling really uncomfortable.

"Bloody summer." she muttered.

LINHA

Sirius found that the kitchen was not empty.

Snape was there.

"What are you doing here, Black?"

"Your mother's not home." Sirius ignored the question and opened the fridge to get the water.

"I know that. I want to know why you're here."

"Florence is here. So am I." he made a sandwich and put it in a tray with the cold water.

"I read in this" Snape showed the little note attached to the fridge. "That you'd be walking by the park this afternoon."

"We were. But Florence got dizzy and almost passed out so I brought her here."

Snape controlled himself and didn't ask how she was then.

Sirius walked out of the kitchen. Snape went to the living room where he could see Florence outside. _She really doesn't look well._ Gorgeous still, but something clearly was wrong with her. Sirius gave her the water and she ate the sandwich, he said something that made her laugh. Snape closed his eyes, walking back to the kitchen to grab his own food. It was his fault that she was out there with the dog and not here with him. He ate and left the house, meeting his mother in the front porch.

"My son!" Eileen exclaimed, happily. "Let's get inside and have tea together."

"You already have enough company for a tea, mother."

"What happened?" she asked, noticing something was wrong.

"Nothing."

"Help me get these groceries inside then, will you?"

"Ok." he took some bags and walked into the house once more.

LINHA

Florence knew he was in the house. The babies kicking like mad inside of her let her know that. Somehow the kids knew, it was like their inner magic recognized that of their father's whenever he was around. She touched her belly, trying to calm them down. She had a sad smile on her face.

LINHA

Eileen saw Florence and Sirius in the back porch and she understood why her son looked so annoyed.

"Why don't you...?" she began.

"No, mom. She's pregnant with his kids. They should be together." Snape said.

Eileen bit her tongue, trying to hold in the truth, as she watched her only son walking out of the house through the front door. She sighed sadly as the door closed. There was nothing she could do to help him. He had made all the wrong choices, now there was no way back. She wiped away the tears and walked to the back porch to greet Sirius and Florence.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-five**

**The Big Day**

**September 1978**

It was finally getting less hot every day. Florence was feeling heavier and more tired than ever. Eileen was around her all the time. She still had one more month to go. One more month and she would finally see her babies faces.

LINHA

**October 3****rd ****, 1978**

James and Lily were going to come to Eileen's for dinner that night.

Florence was taking a shower, sitting on a chair under the shower head. Eileen had put it there in case Florence felt too weak to stand. Her belly was huge. Eileen waited for her by the bathroom door.

Then they heard the doorbell.

"Flor, I'll go down there to open the door. It'll only take a minute. Wait for me. Don't try to stand up on your own."

"Ok, Eileen." Florence murmured, smiling. "This grandma of yours." she talked to her sons. "She's always worried about us and your father..." the boys kicked hard, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I don't understand how you two can know... ouch... every time I think of him or he's near us you two react..." the pain came again, stronger now. "Stop it, boys! Ouch!" and then she felt it, something wet between her legs, something different from the water falling on her head. "Eileen!" she screamed.

She heard the rapid foot steps on the stairs and Eileen and Lily appeared in the bathroom.

"What happened, Florence?"

"They're coming, Eileen." she looked at her friend. "Hi, Lily. Oww. I'm having the babies, noooww."

"Lily, ask Tiffany to bring all the things we need. She knows it all, we were already prepared for this." Eileen helped Florence to put on her robe and walk to the bed. James and Sirius were inside the room, looking scared. "You two. Get that plastic sheet and cover the bed with it, please." the boys quickly obeyed. Eileen helped Florence to lie down. "Now, James, go to Hogwarts and call Madam Pomfrey here. Sirius, you can wait in the corridor."

Soon Lily and Tiffany were back with everything they would need.

It took Pomfrey 20 minutes to get to Eileen's house.

"How are you, my dear?" asked Pomfrey as she entered the room.

"Not so good." gasped Florence. "It hurts. Oww. A lot. And the contractions are happening every 5 minutes or so." Florence was all red faced and sweating a lot. "Ooouch!"

"Let's bring these babies into this world then." said Pomfrey smiling.

LINHA

James and Sirius were in the corridor, waiting for something to happen.

"When could we have ever imagined that one day we would be at Snape's bedroom door waiting for his kids to be born?" asked James.

"Never. It's totally bizarre, right?" said Sirius, realizing what he had just admitted.

"Yeah. I already imagined that they weren't yours..." said James.

"But I'll look after them and Florence. I'll make them happy."

"I don't doubt you, my friend." said James.

"I didn't know it took so long for a baby to be born..." murmured Sirius.

And then they heard the first cry.

"It's James, man!"exclaimed Sirius. "James is here!"

They hugged. And less than 10 minutes later they heard the second cry.

"Nicholas is here too!" exclaimed Sirius.

LINHA

When the first baby cried, Florence cried with him, while pushing for the second baby to come out as well. Eileen, crying with happiness, held a screaming James in her arms. Once Nicholas was born, Pomfrey checked the two babies and Lily helped Florence to sit up in the bed. Eileen gave Florence the two kicking boys. As soon as they found their mother's nipple they started to suck and calmed down. James was the first baby to open his eyes.

"Look, Eileen. His eyes!"

"James has his father's eyes." murmured Eileen, crying harder.

When Nicholas stopped eating he also opened his eyes.

"Nick has my eyes..." said Florence.

Eileen helped Florence to close her robe. The babies fell asleep in their mom's arms.

"They are both in great health, Florence." Pomfrey said after she finished cleaning and organizing everything. "I'll go back to the castle. Call me if you need anything and next week I'll come here to check you three again, ok?"

"Ok, Madam Pomfrey. Thank you for everything. And tell Dumbledore about the babies!"

"I will." and the healer opened the door and left the room.

Sirius and James walked in.

LINHA

They had dinner late that night. Florence ate in the bedroom, she didn't want her sons to wake up alone.

After Lily, James and Sirius left, Eileen helped Florence to breastfeed the babies one more time. Florence fell asleep as soon as the babies did.

Eileen stood there in her son's bedroom, watching the two dark-haired angels that were sleeping in a beautiful dark blue crib. She touched their thin black hairs, lost in her own memories. _They look just as my Severus did when he was born... I wish you dad were here to see the beautiful babies that you two are_.

And she wiped away her tears, going to her own bedroom.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty-six  
**

**Longing &amp; Fighting**

**February 1979**

It was a cold night. Florence was alone with her kids in Eileen's house. Her godmother was in a meeting of the Wizard's Chess Club - which was happening that night at Mr. Wilkins's house. Sirius couldn't stay with Florence because there was a meeting of the Order Of The Phoenix. Neither could James and Lily.

Florence sighed. The house was silent. Her twin boys were sleeping peacefully in their crib. She grabbed a book and went to bed. On the nightstand she saw a picture that Eileen had taken on their first summer there together, almost two years ago. Florence and Snape were hugging in the picture, he even had a small smile on his lips.

Florence closed her eyes and after she reopened them she tried to focus on her book. _Tried_ being the key-word. That was his room, she could still remember the many nights they had spent making love on that same bed. She forced herself not to cry.

After a while, she was finally able to begin reading her book. But then she heard noises downstairs and got up quickly, taking her wand and leaving the bedroom, silently. She magically sealed the bedroom door and went to the stairs. The kitchen lights were on. She walked noiselessly downstairs. In the living room, she saw a black coat thrown over the couch. _Severus_. He was there. And suddenly she was really angry with him. _Our lives could have been so much different_. She stopped by the kitchen entrance and saw him making a sandwich by the sink. His back to her. So she silently attacked him.

_Locomotor Mortis._

"Protego." he cast and turned around to face his attacker. "Florence! Why did you attack me? I could have..."

"You could have done nothing!" she interrupted angrily. "You didn't react fast enough, your guard was down." then a soft baby cry was heard, followed by a second stronger one. "Excuse me." she said before running upstairs.

Snape stood there in the middle of his mother's kitchen. He was shocked. He knew her babies had been born, but the reality of all that hadn't hit him until then. The babies stopped crying. He sat down at the table, eating his sandwich, he wanted to go upstairs and blame her for everything that was happening to him, blame her for how unhappy he was, how tired and old he felt. But he knew there was only one guilty party in that story and it wasn't Florence.

* * *

Snape finished his sandwich while trying to listen to what was happening upstairs. Nothing. After the babies' cries had stopped he heard nothing else.

Florence and her kids were in his old bedroom, he needed to get in there to grab some clothes and take a shower.

Snape got to the upstairs corridor and saw that the door to his bedroom was half opened. He walked in, taking care to make no noise. Florence was already asleep. By the bed he could see a beautiful dark blue crib. Taken by a feeling he'd decided to call _curiosity,_ he walked to the crib and looked inside. The two baby boys were fast asleep with their tiny hands near their faces. Snape couldn't say the exact color of their thin hairs for it was too dark in the room, but he could feel the power of her _veela_ blood in them, weak but there. The babies were gorgeous. He reached out his hand to touch their faces and hands. They were warm and soft. One of them opened his eyes and grabbed one of his fingers with his small hand, looking up at him. Snape was afraid the boy was going to start crying but, unexpectedly, the baby smiled, his dark eyes staring up at him curiously. Snape's heart clenched and he walked away from the crib, grabbing some clothes in the wardrobe and going to his bathroom. There, he could see her things all over the sink cabinet, and a white lace bra hanging on a wall hook. He tried to ignore it all, took a towel from the cabinet and got into the shower stall.

* * *

Florence woke up when Snape walked into the room, but she didn't move. She watched as he walked to the boys crib and touched them. Her heart beating madly inside her chest when James woke up and stared at his father. She waited for the bathroom door to close and then she got up to check on James. The boy was fast asleep again. She walked to the bathroom door and heard the sound of the water hitting the floor. She could imagine the hot water rolling down Snape's body... and her own trembled with desire. Florence leaned against the wall. She missed him. His body, his voice, his touches... she wanted him so much.

She was brought back to reality by the door opening. She tried to move quickly and reach the bed before he saw her there and asked questions, but she didn't fool him.

* * *

Snape opened the door and saw her there, blushing and trying to get to the bed fast... he knew right then what she had been thinking. And before Florence could reach the bed he grabbed her arm and pulled her to him.

"What are you doing?" she whispered.

"What were you thinking just now, Miss Delacour?" he spoke in a low, seductive tone.

"I don't know what you're talking about." she blushed even more.

He pushed her against the bathroom door, one leg going between hers. She tried to push him away but she couldn't make him move, he was too strong and her legs were already weakening. She felt his hands traveling down her body, going under her nightgown.

"Stop." she pleaded, unconvincingly.

"Not even if I wanted to..." he pressed his towel covered hard cock against her thighs. "Tell me how much you want me... admit it. Say that you need me inside you, fucking you, driving you crazy with pleasure."

"No..." Florence tried to push him again, but she was even weaker than before.

"Say that you want me to fuck you until you can't walk or talk or think without remembering me." he licked her earlobe and softly bit her neck.

She moaned. Her body knew he could deliver every one of those promises and it wanted them all and more.

Snape looked at the crib and knew he couldn't fuck Florence in the bedroom. So he walked back into the bathroom with her in his arms. The small armchair was transfigured into a big couch and he sat there with Florence straddling his lap. He took her nightgown off, exposing her body to his eyes.

Florence gave up fighting and started to bite and lick and kiss every part of him she could reach. She went down on her knees and had his dick in her mouth in seconds. His hoarse moans excited her even more. She slowly sucked and licked him, giving special attention to his balls. After a while, she got up from the floor, took off her panties and sat back on his lap, having her hips forcefully grabbed and feeling his dick entering her body. Both their moans echoed in the small bathroom. Florence began to move up and down, riding him fast, sometimes stopping just to feel him completely inside of her body and then resuming her movements, swiveling her hips as his hands gripped her hips tightly, helping her. Florence tangled her hands in his long hair, trying to control their kiss. But it was impossible. The feel of his cock deep within her pussy was too much. Florence threw her head back, lost in pleasure. Her moans increased and Snape felt her inner walls closing around his cock.

"Are you coming for me, pet? Oh, yes, come on my dick!" he growled.

Florence almost screamed his name as she came. He held her hips to help her keep moving, and he never stopped fucking her, his eyes on her face and going down to watch her breasts bounce as she rode his dick. He forced her hips up and down faster, and then she gasped his name, her body becoming rigid as her hips bore down on his length, forcing him deep inside of her as she rode out her second climax of that night. And he couldn't delay his own orgasm any longer. Snape came deep inside her body. Florence could feel every jet of his seed filling up her pussy, dripping down her inner thighs.

She laid her head down on his chest. They were both gasping for air.

Florence closed her eyes, feeling his hot sweaty body against hers, his half-hard cock still buried inside her. She touched his neck with her nose, smelling his skin. Snape moved under her and she felt his cock move inside her, sending jolts of pleasure through her body.

" I love you..." Florence murmured, their lips touching softly; she kept her eyes closed and began moving her hips up and down again. She was soon moaning his name and unintelligible words once more.

Snape rolled them over on the couch so he was now on top of her. He lowered his head and captured a nipple in his mouth. Florence moaned louder. He licked and bit one then the other nipple; Florence ran her hands through his hair and pulled on it lightly.

He fucked her hard and deep, touching every sweet spot she had. Florence was lost in his arms, she opened her legs wider, needing him even deeper, begging him to go harder and faster. Her hands grabbing his butt trying to force him to do as she wanted. Snape gave up his control and did as she desired; he increased the speed of his thrusts. And Florence closed her legs around him, her heels behind his back pulling him to her. All he could hear were her mewls and moans; all he could see was her delicious sweaty body undulating under him; then he could feel her pussy clenching around his cock in an maddening way. And Florence came again, his name on her lips, her nails digging into his lower back. It was too much for him; he put himself deep inside her and came too.

He slowly rolled them over so now she was lying on his chest, his arms around her body, holding her close; both of them were breathing laboriously.

"I love you..." he whispered. "Will you marry me?"

Florence quickly raised her head from his chest and stared at him.

"You know my answer to that question." she said and got up from the couch, grabbing her nightgown from the floor and putting it on. She walked towards the bathroom door without another word.

Snape quickly got up from the couch and stopped her by grabbing her around the waist and pulling her to him.

"I do know your answer!" he said looking into her eyes, holding her close. "It's yes! You're mine! You want me as much as I want you. You need me as much as I need you. Why won't you accept it?"

"I can't..." she had tears in her emerald eyes, her hands on his still naked chest. "I can't expose my children..." she closed her eyes letting the tears fall.

He let go of her waist; as beautiful as those two baby boys were, Snape couldn't deny that they were a permanent reminder that she had slept with Sirius Black.

* * *

Florence walked out of the bathroom into the bedroom.

She wanted it, she wanted to marry him, but she knew it was an impossible, already lost, dream.

"I'll take care of you and your babies." Snape whispered, looking briefly at the crib, as he walked out of the bathroom with a pair of sweatpants on.

"Are you insane?!" Florence breathed furiously, trying not to scream at him. "What about the Dark Lord? Will you just say '_thanks, it was good while it lasted_' and then leave the Death Eaters?"

"No. I don't plan on leaving..."

"Exactly. You're enjoying what you're doing." she said accusingly and wiped away her tears. "Leave me alone, Severus. Leave us alone, please. Go back to your fiancé..."

"How do you...?"

"Rosmerta sent me a letter." Florence smiled sadly. "Don't worry. I won't tell her what happened here today." she looked at him for a while before continuing: "Just leave. I don't need you or the money I know you now have in spades."

"So you're saying you'd rather have me when I was poor? When you were paying for everything?" he asked, keeping his voice low because of the sleeping babies.

"Yes! And you already know that! I fell in love with _you_, not your power or money. I just wanted _you_."

"You still want me." he walked towards her, trying to pull her to him once more.

"But you're not the same." she took a step away from him. "You're no longer the Severus I met and fell in love with. I'm not the same anymore either." she looked at the blue crib that was a few feet from them. "I have my sons to think of now. I can't marry you. Please. Leave us alone." she closed her eyes, letting some tears fall when she said: "Marry Rosmerta and... forget me." Snape tried to hold her in his arms again. "Don't." she said, her hands glowing against his chest. "You know I can perform wandless magic, I don't want to hurt you, Severus. Just leave."

Snape turned around furiously and walked back to the bathroom. He got dressed and left the bedroom without another word.

Florence heard him going downstairs and the front door opening and closing. She checked her sons once more before lying down on the bed and crying herself to sleep.


	27. Chapter 27

**Author's note: **from now on, I ask you to pay close attention to the dates. I'll skip some months that are not really important to this storyline and I'll focus on those events that are relevant. Thanks for reading and I hope you're enjoying it. Let me know your thoughts!

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-seven**

**The Prophecy**

**August 1979**

It was late night.

Snape had found out that Albus Dumbledore would meet someone in the Leaky Cauldron Snape was in the pub, sitting at the end of the counter, a glass of firewhisky in his hand. He saw when Dumbledore walked into the place with Florence by his side.

Her eyes met Snape's and she looked at him questionably. She leaned down to say something in the Headmaster's ear and the old man looked up at Snape then back at her and shook his head. They walked upstairs.

Snape waited a while and then followed them. In the upstairs corridor, he could feel, by means of the Enchantment, inside which room Florence and Dumbledore were. He found the room and stood by the door to overhear what was being said inside.

* * *

Inside the room, Sybil Trelawney was in a trance and, in a weird voice, she was finishing the creepiest Prophecy Dumbledore had ever heard:

" ...the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."

Florence looked at the door, feeling Snape's presence on the other side of it. She opened the door and quickly attacked him, throwing him downstairs; he fell over some tables, breaking them. But he stood up and attacked back:

"Oppugno!" and one of the still intact tables flew towards Florence.

"Confringo!"she cast and the table broke into many pieces.

Snape ran outside, looking around the muggle London for some alley to Disapparate. He found one, but as he was getting ready to go Florence found him.

"Expelliarmus! Accio wand!" she cast, and then he was wandless. "Inanimatus Conjurus." and two big metal trash cans became alive and trapped Snape against the wall. "What are you doing here? What will you do with the small piece of information you now have?"

"That's none of you business, Delacour. Or shall I call you __Mrs. Black__? " he provoked.

Florence looked him in the eyes and pointed her wand to his face, thinking:

_Sectumsempra._

And Snape felt blood running down his left cheek.

"Having second thoughts?" he asked, smiling sarcastically.

"You're the one who should be having second thoughts." she spoke sadly. "Finite." and the trash cans let him go. She gave his wand back, Snape quickly took it and pointed it at her.

They stared at each other for a while.

"Go on then." said Florence. "What are you waiting for? Go and tell you Lord everything you've heard. Prove me I was wrong when I thought you could sink no lower." she finished in a whisper before turning around to walk out of the alley.

"Impedimenta." he tried to attack her once more.

"Expulso" but Florence was faster and more furious.

Snape flew back, hitting his head against the wall and falling to the ground, unconscious.

Florence walked to him and kneeled down by his side. She touched his face and felt tears falling down her own. She took his hair out of his face, softly touching the strands between her fingers; his hair was so black, as dark as the hairs she had at home on two little heads that should be already asleep at that time.

"Enervate." she whispered and then Disapparated before he could wake up.

* * *

It took him a while to come to. Once he was up he remembered what had happened. _The Prophecy._ He knew where he should go; he had to tell Voldemort everything he had just heard. Snape wasn't a very good Oclument yet, the Dark Lord would discover about the Prophecy sooner or later. It was only a matter of telling him about it that night and not being tortured, or not telling him and being tortured later. So Snape had to tell him.

Even if that meant the death of people he cared about.

Even if that meant to die by the hands of the woman he loved.

He had no choice but to tell the Lord.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty-eight**

**Pregnants**

**December 1979**

Dumbledore had gone mad; not that he wasn't crazy before, but he'd completely lost all of his marbles this time. Voldemort and his followers were attacking everywhere and the Headmaster had decided Hogwarts should host a Christmas Party for students, ex-students and guests! McGonagall was the one in charge of that madness and she asked Florence and a few others for help.

* * *

Florence had spent the afternoon in the castle helping McGonagall, then she went home to stay with her kids for a while; she'd have to go back to Hogwarts that night to help some more.

She was kissing her kids goodnight when the doorbell rang. It was probably Lily, they were going to meet at castle. Florence walked downstairs and opened the door. Lily was there.

"Hey, I am ready to go, just let me get my coat." Florence said.

"Your angels are sleeping already?" Lily asked, entering the house.

"No. They're upstairs, Eileen is reading them a story. Did you walk here?" Florence asked.

"No, I Apparated."

"Let's go to the castle by Floo, it's better." Florence walked to the huge fireplace and was reaching for the Floo Powder when Lily stopped her.

"Wait! I came here to tell you something!" Lily had a big smile on her face. "I'm pregnant!"

Florence stared at her friend, shocked.

"What?"

"Yes! I am pregnant! Eight weeks already."

"Eight weeks..." Florence murmured, thinking. "It'll probably be born in July... No! Lily! I warned you! I told you not to get pregnant before December!"

"But it happened..." Lily no longer smiled.

"For Merlin's sake! Why didn't you take the Contraceptive Potion I sent you?" Florence was almost screaming now.

"Why are you so angry?" Lily was confused. "I thought you'd be happy for me!"

"I am happy for you! A baby is a blessing but... you have no idea the huge risk you've just put yourself in!"

"Risk? What are you talking about?"

"Let's go, we must go to the castle e speak to Dumbledore... he will have an idea of what we must do now."

And they went to the castle through the Floo Network.

* * *

The two women were walking from McGonagall's office to the Headmaster's. They met James Potter in the corridor.

"Come with us, James." Florence ordered.

"Where are we going? What happened?"

"We're going to talk to Dumbledore." said Florence.

"Why? I haven't done anything wrong!" James joked.

Florence neither laugh nor answered. She kept on walking.

They met Frank and Alice Longbottom in the next corridor.

"How are you, Frank?" greeted Florence.

"Excellent! We just had great news yesterday."

"We're having a baby." said Alice, smiling.

"No, not you too!" exclaimed Florence.

"You're pregnant as well?" Alice asked.

"No, Lily is. How far along are you?" asked Florence.

"About eight weeks!" said Alice.

"You are insane!" Florence shouted. "I told you not to get pregnant before Christmas!" she took a deep breath. "I told you that if you wanted a baby so much you could fuck on the table on Christmas night during the feast, but not before! Let's go talk to Dumbledore. All of us." she resumed walking through the corridor but suddenly stopped. "Go to the Headmaster's office I... I'll meet you there."

"Why?" asked James.

"Snape was listening to our conversation." she pointed her wand to a column. "Go, I'll meet you in a moment."

The two couples kept on walking. Florence waited and when they were far enough she spoke:

"I'm sure Eileen taught you good manners. Why were you listening to other people's conversation? Why are you here for starters?"

"It was only a coincidence." said Snape walking from behind the column. "I was passing by and overheard you talking. And I am a former Hogwarts student, Miss Delacour, I was called here by Prof. Slughorn to help with the party."

They just stared at each other for a while. Florence didn't lower her wand.

"What are you still doing here?" she said disdainfully. "Go tell the Lord everything! Tell him you already have, not one, but two unborn babies than may fit the Prophecy you overheard the other night!"

"What makes you think I'll tell him anything?"

"You can't hide it. He'll find out sooner or later. And if you don't tell him now, you'll be tortured when he knows it. It's you or them. Easy choice for you." she stared at him, fury and disappointment in her eyes. "What if it's Lily's baby? Lily, whom you know since before coming to Hogwarts." she finally lowered her wand and gave him a sad look. "Don't let me detain you. You don't need to worry about disappointing your family or friends. We've already abandoned our hopes regarding you." she turned around to walk to the Headmaster's office.

"I know." Snape breathed.

"What did you say?" Florence turned around to look at him again.

"I know I've disappointed you and my mother. I always knew the consequences... but I made my choice anyway."

"Regretting it?"

"Not completely, but to a certain extent, yes."

"Of course, _not completely_." she snorted. "Money, power... how could you ever regret those."

"Women." he added, looking at her to watch her reaction. "You'd be surprised with the number of women out there who love to be fucked by a Death Eater." he said in a low voice, noticing Florence getting angrier. "And I got my title as Potions Master in such a short time thanks to my abilities, of course, but also to my new influential friends."

"Innocent people died because of you and your stupid fast acquired title." she growled, her wand back in his neck. They stared into each other's eyes. Florence broke the silence. "Go tell him everything." she took a step back, lowering her wand. "Tell him what you've heard and become his favorite Death Eater."

"I'm already his favorite." Snape sneered.

"Congratulations." she said before turning around and walking away from him.

He watched her go for a moment, then he ran after her and pushed her against the nearest wall. He had her arms pinned over her head, both her hands in one of his. His other hand went behind her neck, grabbing her hair and bringing their faces together. He took her lips in a possessive kiss. He missed her and he could feel she missed him too. Florence moaned in his mouth and he let her hands go. She grabbed a handful of his hair, kissing him back as passionately as he was kissing and touching her body. Their tongues dueled almost angrily.

But then the sound of steps near the end of the corridor made them jump apart. Florence looked at him and ran through the corridor, putting space between them as quickly as possible. As she was getting near the Headmaster's office she stopped and leaned against the cold wall, trying to calm her heart down; trying to stop the lustful thoughts running around her head. She took some deep breaths and walked to the gargoyle, giving it the password and going upstairs.

* * *

"So now we have to go into hiding?" exclaimed James Potter as Florence was opening the door.

"Yes, James." she said closing the door. "I warned you, you had to wait a bit longer to have kids, just a few more months and everything would be fine. I told you not to risk it, to take the Contraceptive Potion I had made myself and given to you. Now the probability..." Dumbledore silenced Florence with a stern look. She understood, the Headmaster didn't want them to know about the Prophecy.

"James told me that Severus..." said Dumbledore.

"Yes." Florence sighed. "He heard us talking. He knows they are pregnant."

"It's always him!" growled James. "This is all his fault! He'll tell You-Know-Who that Lily's pregnant, that Alice is pregnant and that the Order is now vulnerable! They'll probably try to murder our kids when they are born! He's a declared Death Eater, we should hunt him down and kill him!"

Florence looked at her friend, she wanted to scream back at him, to say something to defend Snape but she knew she couldn't. James was right. Snape really was a Death Eater; he had the Dark Mark.

"James, let's try and focus on finding a solution..." said Florence.

"And you're trying to defend him!" James shouted.

"And you know why!" she yelled at him. The room was in silence for a while, then Florence calmed down and spoke again: "You must hide and choose a Secret-Keeper to perform the Fidelius Charm. Someone you trust with your lives. Literally."

"She's right." said Dumbledore. "You must choose a Secret-Keeper and not tell anyone but Florence and me who you've chosen. Choose wisely, kids."


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter Twenty-nine**

**Redemption**

**August 1980**

Snape stood facing a small park in the muggle London. Actually he was facing what was left of the park. All the nearby lights were off, the playground was destroyed, the benches debris were scattered all around the burnt grass. A light rain was falling from the dark night sky, washing away some of the blood from the sidewalk. So much blood. Muggle blood. He was facing what was left of a beautiful wedding. A muggle wedding. The bodies of the bride and groom were lying in the altar, near the priest's. All the guests were lying lifeless on the ground, over tables, chairs, everywhere. Snape could still hear the screams of the victims and the deranged laughs of his fellow Death Eaters. He could still hear them all. And if he closed his eyes he knew he would be able to see it all again.

He took a deep breath, thinking about Florence was the only thing that helped him sleep at night, but that night he wasn't sure his love for her would be enough to keep the nightmares away.

It was a hot summer night. He could feel the sweat over his skin under his dark clothes, his hair plastered down his head because of the rain that was getting stronger by the minute. He felt dirty on so many ways. _I should just kill myself and put an end to it all._ Some nights, when he was alone on his bed, he thought about asking for forgiveness... but how could he escape the Dark Lord's revenge? He would die anyway. _I'm fucked if I do and fucked if I don't._ But he couldn't stop wishing for redemption. He knew he wasn't deserving of it, many people had already died because of his poisons, but he could dream of it. Dream of Florence, her love, her forgiveness. If she ever forgave him, he could try to win her heart back, they could be together. No more deaths or nightmares. No more guilt.

He snorted at his own foolishness.

Once more Snape would have to get home and remove his thoughts from his head so the Lord wouldn't be able to see them. He was getting better in Occlumency but not good enough to fool the Dark Lord. At least not yet.

He was going to sleep at his mother's house that night so he Disapparated.

As he reopened his eyes, he saw the familiar old factory chimney at the far end of the street and ignored the angry feeling that always came over him when he remembered his father. He walked the last few meters home and stopped in front of the house, the porch light was on. He had conflicted feelings towards that house. That was the place where his father for so many years had hit Eileen and screamed at her because she was a witch; Snape grew up in that house, hating it every day because of his father. But then he met Florence and that was the same house where they first made love, where they had spent so many amazing moments together.

The house had been improved over the last months, Snape began to help his mother to reform it from the moment he started to get some money. As much as he disliked that place, his mother loved it. Eileen had loved his good-for-nothing father until the day the bastard died and maybe even longer.

How did Tobias Snape die? Well, he just went to bed one night, drunk as skunk, after beating his wife and his nine-year-old son, and never woke up again. The muggle police came in and took his body out. Cause of death? Alcohol poisoning. Was that the truth? _No. The truth will always be a mystery_. Snape thought.

Almost thirty minutes had passed by, so he decided to go inside. He hoped his mother was already asleep because if she saw him, she'd be furious. His clothes were ripped, stained - mud or blood he couldn't say for sure. He had bruises on his jaw and his hands were as dirty as his clothes. He was limping too. He could have fixed himself with a simple Potion or Spell, but he'd rather not. That was his personal punishment. He wasn't a coward, he thought daily about finishing his own life but he would never do that. So he punished himself for all the atrocities he was forced to take part in. And the one that night had been barbaric. _It was a beautiful wedding. The muggles never saw it coming._

Snape walked into the house and went to the kitchen. He didn't turn on the lights, he knew that place better than he knew himself. He sat on a chair, letting his head fall down on the table. And he stayed like that

* * *

Suddenly the kitchen light was on.

"Severus?"

Eileen was by the kitchen entrance, wearing a pink bathrobe. "I heard a noise and I thought it could be you..." she yawned. When she reopened her eyes, she noticed her son's bruises and torn clothes, but she didn't say anything. "Are you hungry?" she walked to the stove, turning it on and heating up something that looked like milk.

"No, mom, thanks." he got up from the chair. "I'll just go take a shower and sleep. Good night." and he left the kitchen, limping.

It broke Eileen's heart every time she saw her beloved son hurt like that. She prepared her grandsons' bottles while silent tears fell down her face.

* * *

Snape got to the upstairs corridor and heard some noises coming from his mother's bedroom. He went there and opened the door wider. Two little boys were on his mom's bed. Only the weak light of the bedside lamp and the TV were illuminating the room. They were talking but stopped when they noticed him by the door.

"Who are you?" asked the green-eyed boy dressed in dark blue pajamas.

"I... I'm Eileen's son." answered Snape, staring at the boys curiously but not daring to walk into the room, remembering that he had blood on his clothes.

"I'm James." said the dark-eyed boy in the dark green pajamas.

"I'm Nicholas."

"Are you Florence's sons?" Snape asked, recognizing those green eyes.

"Yes. Why don't you come in?" asked James.

"I'm dirty." Snape said. "I'll take a shower and I... I could come back here, after."

"Yes, do it." said Nicholas, smiling, jumping on the bed.

"Yes, you can come." agreed James.

Snape left the door as he had found it, half-open, and walked to his room. The boys in his mind all the time. They were beautiful kids. Nicholas had her eyes and they both had straight dark hair. _That's strange. Neither Florence nor Black have straight hair... _Well, it didn't matter. They were beautiful and advanced for their age, they'd spoken very clearly and hadn't made any usual mistakes kids do when that young. _They are almost two years old now._ Snape didn't know the exact day the boys were born but he remembered it wasn't so hot anymore when his mother told him Florence had given birth. He took a shower, thinking about Florence and her sons, thinking about how lucky Black was that Snape had been so stupid years ago. _Now Black has her and those two beautiful kids_. He forced himself to stop thinking about Florence and Sirius Black and cleared his mind, letting the hot water relax his tired body.

* * *

Eileen walked back to her room with the two bottles. Her grandsons were talking animatedly.

"We met your son, grandma!" exclaimed Nicholas.

"What?" Eileen asked, startled.

"At least he said he's your son." said James, suspicious.

"He was in here?" _Florence is going to kill me. _She thought.

"Yes, but he didn't come in." said Nicholas.

"He has black hair like us." said James.

"He said he would come back after he took a shower." said Nicholas.

"Look, your two, here are your bottles. You drink it and go to sleep. It's past your bedtime, you shouldn't be still awake!" she said in a firm voice. "I really shouldn't have given you two all those candies." muttered Eileen sitting on the bed.

* * *

Snape left his room dressed in comfortable clean clothes, his hair still wet from the shower. He slowly walked into his mother's room.

"What do you want in here, Severus?" murmured Eileen.

"I just..." his eyes found the two little boys sleeping beside Eileen. "I told them I'd come back here..." he stopped near the bed, looking at the kids.

"I must ask you to leave the room, Severus. Florence won't be happy to know that I let you get near the boys."

"She's right." he looked tired, almost miserable. "Can I just watch them sleep for a while? I just feel so at peace near them..."

Eileen nodded.

"Why are they here? Where's Florence?" he sat down on the foot of the bed.

"Lily gave birth a few weeks ago. Flor's helping her friend with baby Harry." Eileen looked at her him, she knew something wasn't right. "What's bothering you, son?"

"I really don't know, mom." he paused. "Call it regret. Or guilt. All I know is that it's getting harder every day..."

"What will you do?" she murmured.

"I still don't know. I can't just stop working for them. They would hunt me down and kill me. I can't join the Order either... no one would accept me."

"Go talk to Dumbledore." she said. "He'll listen to you."

"I'm not sure what to tell him."

"Tell him the truth. Give him the right reason of your regret... tell him how much you wish for redemption... how much you want..."

"Florence." Snape completed. "She's my biggest reason."

"Dumbledore believes in the power of love, my son. Tell him you still love her and that you can't be away from her any longer. Maybe once you've proven your true intentions Florence will come back to you. I know she still loves you." Eileen finished in a whisper.

Snape looked at his mother and said nothing. He looked at the two sleeping boys again.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" Eileen asked, smiling.

"Yes. I always feel... better every time I see them. I feel calmer. Since the first time I saw them I noticed this strange power they have over me. I think it's because they share Florence's blood and it's connected to me through the Enchantment..."

"That's probably the reason, yes." murmured Eileen, getting nervous with that talk. _He feels it... he feels something but can't really name it. Just like the boys always feel when he's near, as if they recognize his magic as their father's._

"I'll go back to my room." Snape got up and kissed his mother's forehead. "Tell them I've been here, will you?"

"Yes, my son. Good night."

As Snape closed her bedroom door, Eileen put her hand on her chest, feeling how fast her heart was beating. She slept with hope in her heart and a smile on her face.

* * *

Snape reached his bedroom and dropped himself on the bed. He was tired, exhausted. He just wanted it all to stop. All the pain and those fights and that stupid war. He knew he had chosen that path, that road of torment and suffering. But he had never imagined it would be like that. He was forced to prepare poisons that he knew were used to kill hundreds of innocent muggles. He could feel his soul being ripped apart piece by piece by each poison he finished. He had altered the last batches, making them not so strong that it would kill everybody. Now the stronger ones could survive. But they would suffer anyway.

He sighed and looked at the nightstand. There was a framed picture there; he and Florence were hugging, she was smiling openly and he looked happy too.

He stared at the ceiling and closed his eyes, thinking about her kids again. The two sweet little boys that were looking at him curiously less than an hour ago. Snape smiled, startling himself. He felt something in his heart move; and the heavy burden on his shoulders had lessened. And right then it didn't matter anymore that those kids were Black's children. Those boys were Florence's, whom he loved. He would take care of them as if they were his sons.

He made his decision then. He was going to talk to Dumbledore the next day. He was going to fight for his redemption.

He sighed, softly, with a smile on his face. The twin boys never leaving his thoughts. Snape felt his heart beating calmer and, for the first time, the future looked promising.

Unknowingly, Snape had defeated the thick poison of Darkness that was slowly eating away at his body and soul. Little did he know he had just been saved; saved by two little boys in pretty pajamas that looked at him with curiosity. He had been saved by his own sons.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter Thirty  
**

**A New Beginning**

**August 1980**

**In a Death Eater meeting**

Snape approached the Dark Lord, stopping in front of him and going down on one knee. He kept his head down until he heard his name being called. He stood up and looked at Voldemort.

"My Lord, I'm here to know what you have decided about..."

"I thought about your plan, Severus." Voldemort interrupted. "I think it would be very useful to have someone infiltrated in Hogwarts. But have you thought about what you're going to tell Dumbledore? How do you plan on making him accept you in the school?"

"I'll go to him and say that I feel guilty for what I've done... I'll tell him I wish to help the Order win this war because I feel I've done too much damage already..."

"Regret." Voldemort murmured. "Ha!" he suddenly exclaimed. "The old man will believe your every word! He's so stupid, once you tell him you feel guilty for all you've done he'll probably cry!" he looked at Snape. "Go, Severus. Go now! You have my permission to become a teacher in Hogwarts."

* * *

**September 1****st****, 1980**

Dumbledore had invited Florence to come to the castle for the opening feast. The Headmaster and Florence were going towards the Great Hall when she recognized someone.

"Snape?" she exclaimed. "What...?"

"Miss Delacour." Snape greeted her. "The Headmaster had told us you'd be here tonight."

"What are you doing here?" she was furious.

"I work here." he said, arching an eyebrow.

"You..." she looked from him to Dumbledore. "You're working _here_? Since when?"

"I was hired last week."

"Dumbledore! How could you hire a Death Eater to teach your students? Have you completely lost your mind?" she questioned the Headmaster.

"I would say I'm a deserter." said Snape.

"What? You want me to believe you just left the Death Eaters and they let you walk away with your life?"

"Florence." said Dumbledore, an amused smile on his face. "You two can talk later, now we must go into the Great Hall."

They resumed walking. Florence looking angrily at Snape, not believing he was really there.

* * *

They were already eating when Pomfrey asked Florence:

"So, my dear, tell me, how are your boys?"

"They are great, Poppy. Getting bigger each day. And they're so clever."

"Why didn't you bring them with you?" asked McGonagall.

"They are just too rowdy. I can't even imagine the mess they would make if I brought them to a place as big and interesting as Hogwarts." Florence laughed.

"Do they have any other differences apart from the eye color?" asked Pomfrey.

"Yes. They have very different personalities. Nicholas is calm and responsible; James, on the other hand, is easily irritated and gets angry for nothing. It's funny to watch Nick trying to reason with his brother."

"They are really incredible kids." said Dumbledore.

"Yes, they are." said Snape.

Florence almost choked on her pumpkin juice. She looked at Snape, shocked. _How does he know my kids? Eileen will have to give me an explanation!_

"Do you wish for more children, Florence?" asked Dumbledore, knowing she couldn't have kids with any man but Snape.

Florence smiled and answered.

"I'd love to get pregnant again. But I can't afford to have anymore babies now. Maybe in a few years..."

* * *

After the feast, the students were sent to their Houses and the teachers were talking amongst themselves.

"Hagrid, would you mind walking with me to Hogsmeade?" Florence asked.

"Of course..." began the half-giant.

"No, Hagrid. I'm afraid I need to talk to you. Now." interrupted Dumbledore. "But Severus can walk with you, Florence."

"No, it's not necessary, I'll just Disapparate then."

"Nonsense!" exclaimed Dumbledore. "It's a beautiful night outside. Severus?"

"I'll walk with you." Snape said.

And they left the Great Hall.

* * *

Florence and Snape had been walking for minutes, they could already see Hogsmeadee's lights. Then Snape broke the silence when they were entering Hogsmeade:

"It must be great to have kids..."

"Yes. It's incredible. I can see myself and their father in them..." she suddenly stopped talking, she didn't want to talk with him about the twins.

"I've been thinking about it." said Snape.

"About what?"

"Kids."

She stared at him. _You've got to be kidding me!_ She thought.

"And whom would you have kids with?" she asked. "_Rosmerta_?"

"NO. Never. I'd never have kids with her, she's... just no." he shook his head.

"Whom then?"

"You." he answered looking intently at her. Florence looked away and didn't reply. "But I don't know if I would be a good father... I didn't have a good example of one, as you already know."

"You would be great, Severus. You're not your father." she whispered.

They walked down the main road and reached her house in a few minutes.

"Thanks for walking with me." she said, stopping in front of her house.

"It was a pleasure."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yes."

"How did you do it?" she asked. "How did you convince Dumbledore? And what did you tell the Dark Lord?"

"Can I answer inside? It's not safe out here."

"Yes, sure. Let's talk in the library."

Florence opened the door and they got inside.

Snape looked around her house as she led him to the library. Her living room was pretty and cosy. There were a huge fireplace on the right – probably linked to the Floo Network, a comfortable-looking couch in front of a big TV and lots of pictures of the twins on the walls; in some pictures the boys were alone, in others they were with Eileen and Florence, even Dumbledore and Pomfrey were in a few of those pictures.

Florence opened the door to the small library and he followed her in. She closed the door and they were alone. She motioned him to sit down.

"You can speak now." she told him after she had cast a Muffliato Spell.

"The Dark Lord believes I'm in Hogwarts to pass him information on the Order's plans and Dumbledore's whereabouts. He thinks I'm spying on Dumbledore for him. Which is not true. The contrary is; I'm spying on the Dark Lord and telling Dumbledore his next steps."

"But how did you convince Dumbledore?" Florence asked.

"I told him the truth about my feelings. I told him I regret my past choices and I want to do something to redeem myself. At least now, spying for Dumbledore, playing the double-agent, I can die at any moment. So I won't need to take the coward's route and put an end to my own life or... go to prison for killing Black."

"Sirius? What does he have to do with anything?" she asked, confused.

"Not him, you."

She stared at him for a while before saying:

"You're telling me that you've left the Death Eaters because of me when I was the one to beg you not to join them all those years ago?"

"Yes."

Florence got up and opened the door.

"Leave, Severus. Please."

He got up and walked to the door. But he didn't leave the room as she'd ordered. Instead he quickly closed the door and pushed her against it. Before she could utter any word of protest he took her lips and had her moaning in his mouth, her hands trying to open up his many buttons, and his hands under her dress.

"You look gorgeous in this dress. It's a pity I'll have to rip it." he growled before tearing her dress apart, some buttons flying around.

She was only in her bra and panties then. Florence moved her hands, focusing on his clothes and within seconds all his buttons were opened.

"And you look so sexy in these teacher's clothes." she moaned, biting his neck. "So many buttons..."

Snape took control of her head, grabbing a fistful of her hair. He pulled her head back and kissed her neck, biting and licking her skin. One of his hands opened her bra. He kissed a trail from her neck to her nipples, each one receiving a lot of attention.

Florence was moaning loud, pulling his hair, one leg going around his waist, bringing their bodies closer.

One of his hands went down between her legs, pulling her panties to the side and penetrating one long finger into her body. She was completely wet, hot, ready for him.

He kneeled in front of her and slid her panties down her legs. He started to touch and lick her thighs, one hand kneading one of her butt cheeks, the other hand moving to her entrance, two fingers going into her pussy. He opened her and licked her clit slowly, his fingers pumping rhythmically inside her. Florence was lost in pleasure, leaning against the door, one hand on his head. It didn't take long for her to come. She screamed his name and he felt her inner walls closing around his fingers. Suddenly, Florence pushed him away and he fell on his back and she straddled his waist, quickly removing his clothes and, once she had him completely naked, she sat on his cock, taking him whole inside her body.

Snape grabbed her hips to help her ride him, his eyes on her body and face. He loved to watch her reactions, the way she moved and screamed depending on what he did. He began to move his hips up, going deeper inside her. Florence moaned his name and came once more. He took that moment to roll them; he was on top of her, now, his cock never leaving her body. He kissed her lips and began to pound into her, fucking her hard, his hands holding her hips down as he thrust deeper. He closed his lips around one of her pink nipples, hearing her moans intensify; her nails leaving marks on his back and one of her hands fisting in his hair.

"Tell me..." he groaned in her ear. "Tell me who is in _here_... who is fucking you, making you lose control..." and he moved his hips harder.

"Severus... ah!... Sev..." she just moaned, closing her legs around him. "Fuck me... don't stop." she begged.

And he did. He took her legs from around his waist and made her open them wide and he fucked her as she'd asked, as she loved to be fucked. Florence screamed. Then, once more, he felt her pussy closing tightly around his cock and this time he followed her. He came while she was coming, shooting his seed deep inside her warm body.

He lay down beside her on the floor, taking his spent cock out of her in the process, and pulled her to his chest. Florence rubbed her nose on his chest and he saw her tears.

"Why...?" he started to ask.

"I shouldn't... but I love you." she murmured, looking into his eyes. "Were you really thinking about ending your own life?"

"I'd rather die than see you with Black." he replied. She didn't say anything. "Marry me." he said.

"No. I've already told you, my answer is no." she got up and started to put her dress back on.

He stood up as well and started to get dressed.

"I love you. You love me. Let's..." he tried again.

"We can't!"

"Because of your children?"

"Yes... I can't risk them."

"So marry me." he held her in his arms. "I'll protect you!"

"How will you protect us when you can hardly protect yourself?" she touched his face and softly kissed his lips. "Don't do anything stupid, Sev. I couldn't stand to live in this world anymore if you died."

Florence pushed him away and he let her go. She opened the library door and walked him to the front door.

Snape pulled her to him and kissed her passionately before Disapparating from her porch.

Florence closed the door, trying hard not to cry.

"What was that!?" exclaimed Eileen walking downstairs.

"It was nothing." Florence said.

"Tell me he has finally left the Dark side and is now working with the Order. Please, tell me you're back together!"

"Yes and no. He's, now, working with Dumbledore, but we're not back together." Florence walked upstairs, Eileen followed her. "You know I can't be with him, godmother... my father would find out and..."

"I know." murmured Eileen sadly.

They entered Florence's room. Florence sat on her bed and looked at the window.

"He asked me to marry him."

"And you said no." Eileen said.

Florence nodded and said:

"He's teaching Potions in Hogwarts now..."

"He's so near but so far... It makes me so sad to see you both suffering like this." Florence was going to reply something but Eileen continued: "But I understand. I don't want to put my grandsons in danger but... I just think that Severus has the right to know that those amazing boys are his..."

"He'd hate me if I told him." murmured Florence.

Eileen didn't answer. She knew her son. He would be really angry at Florence but she didn't think he'd hate her, but she kept quiet. She just kissed her goddaughter good night and left the room.

* * *

Many months passed by and Florence refused all of Dumbledore's invitations to go to the castle. So, for a long time, she never saw Snape again.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter Thirty-one**

**A Masquerade Ball**

**January 9****th****, 1981**

**Eileen's House**

Sirius and James were sitting in Eileen's living room, waiting for their respective girlfriend and wife. Nearly an hour had already passed and Florence and Lily were still getting ready. The two couples were going to go to a dinner-party that night; a masquerade dinner-party in the muggle London.

Eileen was in the kitchen preparing dinner, her son would soon arrive to have dinner with her. From the kitchen, she could keep and eye on her grandsons that were playing on the living room rug and she could also see James Potter holding little baby Harry in his arms. She finished setting up the table and walked into the living room.

"Is Harry sleeping already?" she asked.

"Yes, Mrs. Snape." said James Potter.

"Oh, please, call me Eileen, James. I'll put him in his crib." she picked up Harry from his father's arms and walked upstairs.

After putting Harry in the dark blue crib that was in her room, she walked to the other room to see why the two young women were taking so long to get ready. She knocked.

"Come in!" said Lily from inside the room.

"I just wanted to tell you that the boys are almost giving up going to the party." Eileen joked.

"We're ready, godmother." said Florence coming out of the bathroom. "And my boys?"

"Still awake... they're playing on the rug downstairs. I thought they were going to pass out after eating so much lasagna but... nope!"

"Do you think they feel that he's going to come here tonight?"

"Perhaps..."

"Lily, we'd better go, before..."

"I know, Flor." interrupted Lily.

* * *

As they got to the living room, James and Sirius came towards them. James kissed Lily passionately. Sirius kissed Florence lightly on the lips and murmured:

"I could say you look gorgeous but... you _are_ gorgeous."

Florence sighed. Why couldn't she love him? Well, she knew why. But still, if she could have chosen... no, she knew that even if she could have chosen, she would have done the same mistakes again.

"Let's go." said James. "Before they give our table to someone else."

"Are you sure it's not a problem for you to look after Harry tonight, Eileen?" asked Lily, worried.

"I'm certain, dear. I can imagine how worried you must be, the first night away from a child is always terrifying. But sweet baby Harry is already asleep, you have nothing to worry about."

"Stop worrying so much, Lils." said Florence. "Eileen can control my two _angels;_ Harry is fine!"

"But he may bother you..." continued Lily.

"I doubt it." said Eileen. "Harry can't possibly make more mess than those two there on the rug." she pointed her grandkids.

"But..."

"Let's go, Lily!" Florence pulled her friend by the arm and opened the front door. "We have to leave now before..."

And Snape was there in the front porch.

* * *

Snape had Apparated two blocks away from his mother's house. He walked home thinking about Hogwarts, how calm everything was. He had had a great lunch earlier that day in the castle. Dumbledore had asked the elves in the castle's kitchens to prepare some of Snape's favorite dishes. It was really good. And now he was walking towards his mother's house, where he would probably have a great dinner of the best lasagna he had ever eaten.

He sighed. Everything was getting better for him but still... he was alone. Life seemed empty without Florence. And he knew she wouldn't be there tonight.

_Florence._

He shivered in desire; he could still remember their last night together.

Once his mother's house came into sight, he saw there was a car parked in front of the house. Apparently, the Potters were there. _Maybe Florence's there too._

He walked into the front porch and reached for the handle to open the door, but it was suddenly opened from the inside.

And there she was, starring at him as if she'd seen a ghost. It had been three months since they'd last seen each other.

Everybody got quiet. But after a while, Sirius took a step forward and put a hand on Florence's waist.

"We better go." he said.

Florence nodded, her eyes still focused on Snape.

Lily and James said goodbye to Eileen and walked by Florence, going to the car. Sirius took Florence's hand and made her follow him outside. But as she was leaving the house and Snape was going in, she put a hand on his arm.

"Happy birthday, Severus." she murmured and left, the door closing behind her.

* * *

"Severus!" exclaimed Eileen, clearly ignoring the awkward scene that had just happened in front of her. "Happy birthday, my son." she hugged him. "Come into the kitchen, dinner's ready." she looked to the living room and saw the twins asleep on the rug. "Ah, they finally fell asleep!" she walked to them. "Go to the kitchen, Severus, I'll just put them upstairs." she picked James up in her arms.

"Can I help?" he asked looking at the two boys.

"Ahm..." Eileen hesitated, she knew Florence would be furious if she knew that Eileen had let Snape near the boys, but they were fast asleep and they were two and Eileen really couldn't carry them both at the same time anymore. "Ok. Take Nick, please."

Snape leaned down and picked up the sleeping boy, following his mother upstairs. They walked into her room.

"In here, Severus. Just be quiet, Harry is sleeping."

Eileen put James on her bed and Snape put Nick down by his brother's side. Eileen covered them with the duvet.

"You can go back downstairs, I'll just check if Harry's diaper is clean."

Snape left his mother's room and went to his own.

Florence had definitely been there; her perfume was in the air. As he walked into his bathroom, he saw a delicate white lace bra hanging on a hook in the wall. He took it in his hand and brought it to his nose, inhaling deeply. It was hers, it smelled like her skin. He put it back where he had found it, reminding himself that she had left a few minutes earlier with the mutt. She was Black's now.

* * *

After they had had dinner, they ate a delicious cake Eileen had made and sat on the couch in front of the TV. Eileen was sipping tea, while Snape was drinking elven wine.

"Where did they go?" he asked, unexpectedly.

"To a masquerade dinner-party in the muggle London." Eileen answered.

Snape finished his drink and got up from the couch.

"Where are you going, son?"

"To bed. I'm tired."

"Good. Well, Florence left everything organized upstairs for you. Good night, Severus."

He nodded and walked upstairs to his room.

Eileen watched her only son walking upstairs. She could feel his sadness. She wanted nothing more than to tell him the whole truth; tell him that those two amazing boys sleeping in her bedroom were his and not Black's. But she knew her son, he would probably force Florence to marry him and that would expose the boys... she sighed. Why life had to be so complicated?

* * *

Snape entered his bedroom and looked at the bed. He didn't want to sleep, he wanted Florence.

He sat on the edge of the bed, near the nightstand, and took in his hands the framed picture that was there. They were hugging in the picture and Florence was smiling openly in his arms. He sighed. He wished he could go back in time and tell his younger self not to join the Death Eaters, tell him to listen to Florence and stay by her side no matter what; he would tell the younger Severus to find another way to make money or even to keep being poor. All that mattered was that she would still be his.

He put the framed picture back on the nightstand and made a decision.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter Thirty-two**

**A Car Ride**

**At the masquerade ball**

Lily got really drunk and Florence had to help her to the restroom. But when they left the restroom they couldn't find Sirius and James anywhere. They decided to dance and enjoy the party, sooner or later they would find their men.

"Flor, I think that guy over there is interested in you..." said Lily, laughing.

"What...?"

"That one, over there, near the wall. The one dressed all in black."

And Florence looked at where Lily was pointing. _Severus_. She would recognize him anywhere.

"It's Severus." she told Lily.

"What? He's been looking at you for a long time, Flor."

"Let's leave, Lily." she took Lily's arm and pulled her to the exit. "Let's wait for Sirius and James by the car."

"No!" Lily stopped her friend. "No. I know you want him, Flor. He came here looking for you... and I know you don't let Sirius fuck you..."

"Lily! How do you...?" exclaimed Florence.

"It's obvious! Go! Go get him! Let him do everything he wants to do with you. I'll look for Sirius and James and I'll distract them."

"No!" Florence exclaimed, her heart beating like crazy inside her chest.

"You love him! You're crazy for him! I won't remember a thing in the morning so nobody will ever know that you fucked him tonight!"

Florence looked at where Snape was. Lily was right, she wanted him so much. Earlier that night, as they were getting dressed in his room, she had to try hard to hold herself together, his perfume was all over that room. She craved him.

Florence left Lily alone at the table and walked towards Snape. Without saying a word, he took her hand and they walked outside. Snape led her to Eileen's car and they sat in the back seat.

Florence looked anywhere but at him. She let the furry scarf she was wearing fall on the seat for it was warm inside the car.

Snape reached out his hand and touched her arm, lightly caressing her skin, going up to her shoulders. Florence shivered, she wanted his hands on her skin so much, but she knew they shouldn't do that.

Minutes passed by and someone had yet to say a word.

"What are you doing here?" she finally asked.

"I came here just to look at you." he answered in a smooth voice. "I like to watch you dancing." his hand moved up to her neck, touching below her ear. "Your boyfriend is really careless... leaving someone like you all alone on the dance floor." he touched his nose to her shoulder, going to her neck, and up to her ear, biting her earlobe softly.

"Stop it, Severus." she whispered.

He didn't stop.

She reached out for the door handle but there was nothing where the handle should have been.

"Where is it?" she looked at him angrily. "You open this door, now!"

"No." he sat closer to her. "Did you really think I'd let you go so easily?" and he kept on torturing the skin of her shoulder and neck with his nose, fingers and lips.

"What do you want from me?" she asked, her eyes closed; she already knew the answer.

"I want you." he whispered on her ear, one of his hands going between her legs. His other hand went behind her neck, pulling her face to his.

"Severus..." she whispered.

"Shh..." he bit her bottom lip and then sucked on it. "You're mine, don't fight it."

"No..." she tried to resist. "Not anymore." his mouth was on her neck, licking and biting. The hand between her legs was touching her inner thighs sensually. "No... Sev... please." she tried to pull him away but her soft moans and her pliant body showed him what she truly wanted.

Snape took her lips possessively, his tongue conquering hers. He got his wand and flicked it. Then the back seat looked more like a bed. Florence fell on her back and Snape lay on top of her, between her legs. Florence wrapped her legs around his waist; she could feel his hard cock rubbing against her entrance through her panties. She moaned in his mouth. His touches were like a drug, taking control of her senses; just a few touches and he could control her whole body. His hands touched her inner thigh, going near her center. He pulled her panties to the side and slipped one finger into her pussy; she was soaking wet, ready for him.

"You're mine... all mine." he ripped her panties away from her body.

"Stop, Sev..." Florence tried again, although her body said a different story.

He murmured something, his wand pointing at them both and their clothes vanished.

"You're mine." he repeated, his mouth going to her breasts, he sucked and pulled on one nipple then the other, her moans and soft mewls letting him know how much she was enjoying that attention. His tongue rasped over her skin, going down, over her ribs, past her belly button, as his hands explored her hips and thighs. He bit her hip and made the torturous way back to her mouth. He kissed her deeply. Florence's hands were in his hair, pulling on the strands.

Suddenly, two of his fingers penetrated her body. Florence threw her head back, shouting in pleasure and need. He bit her neck, removing his fingers and touching around her entrance and clit slowly.

"Sev... please..." she moaned. "Oh, please, fuck me."

He closed his eyes for a moment. That was true music to his ears. Her moans, her voice begging him to fuck her, her body completely pliant under his. How could he have lived so long without her? Every time they had made love had been amazing but that, right then, after so many months without seeing her, touching her... he needed her desperately. He slipped two of his fingers into her again, felling her pussy clenching around them; she moaned loudly, and he knew she was near the edge. He removed his fingers and she cried out in disappointment.

"No!"

"Something wrong, pet?" he asked, teasingly.

"I need you." her hand fisted in his hair and she pulled his face close to hers, she looked into his eyes. "I need you to fuck me, now, Sev." she moaned.

"Oh, I will fuck you, but first I'll torture your luscious body with so much pleasure you'll never want to stay away from me ever again." his hands traveled down her thighs, touching her like he owned her.

"I never want to stay away from you, Sev... I do what I have to..."

He kneeled between her legs and Florence used that moment to push him on his back. She straddled his thighs, her mouth going down his chest, licking and biting, and going further down, finding his hard cock. She stared at him, locking gazes as she licked the head of his cock. He tipped his head back and groaned. Florence licked her way down to his sack, she sucked one ball into her mouth and then the other, running her tongue around it and softly biting the skin. Snape growled, his right hand fisting in her hair, controlling her movements.

Florence put his whole cock in her mouth, swallowing him.

"Stop." he ordered, his voice rough with desire. But Florence didn't listen to him, she kept on sucking his dick. He strengthen his hold on her hair and pulled her away from his cock, forcing her to stop. He pulled her face to his and she straddled his hips. "You never obey me." he growled near her swollen mouth, her lips reddened from sucking his cock. He kissed her, plunging his tongue into her mouth. Florence moaned, her dripping entrance rubbing against his hard cock while he ravaged her mouth without mercy.

Snape couldn't wait any longer. He held her hips and forced her down on him, his painfully hard cock easily slipping into her soaking wet pussy, and he began to thrust up slowly, both his hands on her waist, not allowing her to move away too much.

She moaned his name, her whole body shaking with pleasure; she started to undulate her hips, feeling all of him inside her. One of his hands went down between her legs, his thumb caressing her clit as he began thrusting into her harder. Florence moaned louder and he felt her inner walls clenching tightly around his cock.

"Yes..." he growled. "Come to me, come on my cock, let me feel you pulsing around me."

She shouted his name and came.

He tried hard not to close his eyes and come right then. He watched as her body convulsed in pleasure, her pussy spasming around his cock.

And he never stopped moving inside her, his growls and moans driving her crazy, increasing her pleasure. Once she was close to orgasm again, he grabbed her hips and penetrated her deeply, staying inside her body, hearing her moans and pleas for _more, more, move_...

"Can you feel all of me inside you?" he asked, pulling her face to him and biting her lower lip; he thrust his hips up. "I'll fuck you so hard that you'll feel me for days." he took his cock almost completely out of her and then he put it all in again in one hard thrust.

"Sev..." Florence could only moan, she was lost in his arms. She could feel all of him, all right; all of his hard dick deep inside her, touching her everywhere, filling her completely.

Snape rolled them over, his strong body covering hers, his hips moving in a deep, hard rhythm. Florence came again, screaming his name, her nails leaving marks all over his back.

He felt her pussy clenching around his dick again and he could hardly hold back his own orgasm anymore. She was so hot and wet; her moans in his ears. But he wanted to make her come again, at least once more... because he knew once he left her body, she would run away from him again. He tried to ignore the delicious pressure of her walls around his cock and fucked her harder, his mouth finding her nipples and torturing them again; he took one nipple into his mouth and sucked it while the other was lightly pinched and twisted between his thumb and forefinger.

Florence threw her head back and, while she was coming, he moved his hips away from her and surged forward, burying himself deeply. Florence screamed his name. He stretched her tightly; the friction and the deep strokes driving her insane.

Then the pressure on his dick was finally too much, she was throbbing around him, pulling him deeper. Her face a mask of pure pleasure, and it was him who had done it to her. Snape couldn't hold back anymore. He put himself as deep as possible and let his orgasm take over his body. He came long and hard, feeling every jet of seed that left his dick.

He lay down beside her, his spent dick slipping out of her body. They were both gasping for air. He pulled her to his chest and looked at her, Florence's hair was a mess, her cheeks were too pink and her lips were red and swollen; she looked freshly fucked and gorgeous.

Florence had her eyes closed and she slowly began moving her head from side to side. Snape saw a tear roll down her face.

"No... don't cry, Flor." he murmured, wiping away the tear.

"I love you, Sev... I shouldn't, but I love you so much..." she opened her eyes and stared at him, more tears rolling down.

"I love you too... please, forgive me for... everything, every stupid thing I've ever done..."

"No..." she kissed his lips softly. "I can't..." she sat on the makeshift bed and put on her bra. "I told you years ago that there wouldn't be any forgiveness, and there isn't." she fixed her hair and her panties with her wand after she finished putting on her dress. She looked at the door and the handle was back in place.

"You're leaving?" he asked.

"Yes, they are probably looking for me..."

"Yeah, the _dog_ must be really worried." Snape growled.

Florence looked at him, she wanted to tell him to not call Sirius like that, but she didn't say anything, she knew he was jealous. Little did he know he had nothing to be jealous about. She leaned towards him and kissed him again, slowly, passionately.

"I love you, Sev, but we can't be together." she paused. "And Sirius... you have to respect him... he is the father of my kids." she lied, seeing in his dark eyes the pain that lie caused him.

He didn't say a word. Florence left the car with tears in her eyes but she refused to look back.

* * *

Florence wiped her eyes and looked for her friends and soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend. She found them near the dance floor.

"Where have you been?" asked Sirius.

"I was looking for you. I... I walked to the car, I thought that you'd be there because of Lily..." Florence looked at her passed out friend in James' arms.

"Yeah, she drank a bit too much..." James said.

"Let's go, then?" Florence suggested.

"Yes, let's." said Sirius.

* * *

Snape drove around town for a while. His body still hot and relaxed, her perfume dominating the air inside the small car. He could still taste her on his lips. He fisted his hand and hit the steering wheel, hard.

"Damn it."

He parked in front of his mother's house. The Potters' car was there. Snape stayed inside his car. In the front porch he could see the Lily and James saying goodbye to Eileen; James was holding baby Harry in his arms and Lily was leaning on her husband. _Where's the dog? He's not spending the night here!_

Soon Florence appeared by the door, Sirius by her side her. It looked like he had been crying. She kissed him on the cheek. _Strange_. Snape thought. And Sirius walked out of the porch.

As Sirius was getting ready to enter the Potters' car, he saw Snape leaving his car and ran towards him, wand in hand. Florence ran to the sidewalk.

"Sirius..."

"If you at least deserved her!" Sirius shouted at Snape. "I wouldn't mind it so much if you were man enough for her. But you don't deserve her or the..."

"Sirius!" Florence called. "Please stop." she was afraid he was going to say something about the boys. "The kids are sleeping."

Sirius lowered his wand and looked at Florence.

"I love you, Flor."

She looked down to the floor.

"I know. I'm sorry." she said.

Sirius left with the Potters.

Florence turned around and walked inside.

Snape followed her.

* * *

As he closed the door he saw Florence walking upstairs.

"Flor." he called and she stopped walking but didn't turn around. "I'll make tea, do you want some?"

"No, thanks. I'm just going to pick up my kids and our things and we'll be leaving."

"Leaving?" asked Eileen from the kitchen entrance. "Why?"

Florence just looked at her godmother and then at Snape and kept on walking upstairs. She entered the room the boys were sleeping in. Florence put them in their double stroller, organized their things and put it all in her suitcase. She shrank the suitcase and put it inside her pocket. She walked downstairs, the double stroller magically floating in front of her. She reached the last step and put the stroller down. She checked if the boys were still asleep and took a deep breath before walking into the kitchen. Eileen and Snape were there, sitting at the table.

"Do you want some tea?" offered Eileen.

"No, thanks, godmother. I just want to kiss you good bye, I'm going home." she kissed and hugged her. Eileen left the kitchen to go kiss her grandsons. "Bye, Severus." Florence said as she was leaving the kitchen, not even looking his way.

Snape just watched as she walked into the big fireplace with the double stroller and the green flames consumed the three of them.

* * *

Eileen watched her goddaughter and her grandsons go; she knew the reason. She had heard Florence breaking up with Sirius. She knew Florence had slept with Snape earlier. She sighed and went back to the kitchen.

"Will you tell me what happened, Severus?"

"Nothing happened." he stared at his tea cup.

"Don't lie to me! I know everything already! I heard her telling Sirius what happened tonight." she sat down beside her son. "Why did you follow her? Why did you go after her?"

"I love her, mother. I want her back. I had thought that as soon as I left the Death Eaters she would come back to me. But... she didn't." he took a sip of his tea. "I asked her to forgive me tonight. She said no. She also said I had to respect her relationship with Black because he's the father of her kids."

Eileen bit her tongue. She had to be strong and not let the truth roll out of her lips.

"Florence must have her reasons to not forgive you, son." she said. "She warned you many times when you were still in Hogwarts, I recall." she looked at her son, her heart hurting for him. She wanted him to be happy but she couldn't risk telling him the truth and exposing the boys to their grandfather. She stood up. "Good night, son." and left the kitchen.

Snape was alone in the kitchen then. He wanted to go after Florence, to force her to marry him._ I would take care of her sons as if they were mine!_

He looked at the clock on the kitchen wall. It was past four in the morning already. He forced himself to get up and go to bed. He had some researches to do about the new poisons the Dark Lord had requested. And he had to deliver them the next night. At a dinner party - which would be in his honor, a birthday gift.

Snape could already feel his stomach churning.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter Thirty-three**

**McDonald's**

**September 1981**

**Florence's House, Hogsmeade**

That was a calm morning, no noises could be heard from outside. Eileen was sleeping in Florence's house and, as soon as she woke up, she went looking for her grandsons. But the boys were not in their beds. So Eileen walked to Florence's bedroom; she opened the door and saw the three of them still asleep. She smiled and closed the door, going back downstairs to the kitchen to ask Tiffany to serve breakfast in Florence's room. As soon as the elf set the small table in the bedroom, Eileen opened the curtains.

Florence woke up and sat up on the bed.

"Good morning, Eileen." she yawned.

"Good morning, dear." Eileen sat beside her and kissed her cheek; then she looked at the twins. "Can you tell them apart when they're sleeping?" she asked, caressing one of the boys' dark hair.

"Yes. This one is Jamie." said Florence touching the boy on her right.

"How can you tell?"

"It's easy, because, although James has the stronger personality, he's more insecure than his brother. He always sleeps holding my arm or a pillow." she touched the other boy. "Nick, on the other hand, always sleeps like that, on his back, arms and legs spread out."

"Jamie is a lot like my Severus." Eileen murmured, a sad smile on her face.

"I know..."

"Do you miss him?"

"Every day." Florence said, sadly, looking at her kids. "I can't stop thinking about him. I look at the boys and... I see him. I love you son, godmother. And I love him even more when I look at what that love gave us; these boys are everything to me."

James stirred slowly and opened his dark eyes.

"Mommy..." he hugged and kissed his mother and then he saw that there was another person on the bed. "Grandma!" he threw himself in Eileen's arms.

"Good morning, handsome." Eileen said, laughing.

Florence woke Nicholas up.

"Good morning, mommy..." the boy said hugging Florence and almost falling asleep again.

"Hey, look, breakfast is here already! Is that bacon I smell?" Florence said.

And the mention of bacon was enough to make both boys get up and run to the table.

* * *

They were having breakfast in the small table in the bedroom.

"We could go for a walk, today, what do you think?" asked Eileen.

The boys squealed happily, loving that idea.

"You know we must be careful when we walk with the boys here in Hogsmeade, Eileen." said Florence.

"Classes have just begun, Flor. No one from the school will come to the village for at least another two weeks!"

"We could go visit baby Harry." said Florence.

"Yes! Let's go see him! I like him!" exclaimed Nicholas.

"No! Harry is boring." said James.

"No, he's not!" said Nicholas angrily.

"Yes, he is! The only things he can do are cry and say nonsenses." said James.

Eileen was trying hard not to laugh out loud. James's grumpy face was just too adorable.

"We're going to visit Aunt Lily tonight and you two will behave properly!" said Florence firmly.

Nicholas looked happy with that news but James just kept on eating, still dissatisfied.

"So what do you think we should do this afternoon?" asked Eileen. "We could have lunch at that new muggle fast-food restaurant that opened last week here in Hogsmeade. The one that the Robins opened for their daughter..."

"You mean the McDonald's?" confirmed Florence. "Yes, we could have lunch there."

"Yes!" exclaimed both boys.

* * *

As always, the small McDonald's in Hogsmeade was crowded.

Eileen found a table and she sat down with the boys while Florence waited in line to place their orders. Eileen was watching her grandsons discussing about some new cartoon they'd watched, but suddenly she recognized someone. _Severus_. He was there.

Once Florence arrived at the table with their food, Eileen showed her that Snape was there and got up to go talk to her son.

"Since when do you enjoy fast-food, Severus?" Eileen asked after she hugged him.

"Hi, mom. Well, I don't love this place but once in a while it's nice to eat away from the castle. Are you here alone?"

"No. Florence and her kids are here too. And you?"

"I came with..."

"Hello, Mrs. Snape." interrupted a woman Eileen recognized as Rosmerta. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, thanks." said Eileen, forcing a smile and noticing how tightly Rosmerta was holding Snape's arm and that he wasn't trying to escape the woman's grasp. "Well, I'll just go back to my table." she looked at her son disapprovingly and walked away.

* * *

Eileen sat in front of Florence and looked at her food.

"What happened?" Florence asked, worried. "You look disappointed..."

"I just..."

"Is Albus here as well? This is a place that old man would love to come to." she smiled.

"No. But Severus is not alone."

"Who came with him?" asked Florence.

"Rosmerta."

And Florence stopped smiling.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter Thirty-four**

**What's dad like?**

**A few days later, in the morning**

Florence and the boys were in her bedroom watching cartoons on TV.

"Mom."

"Yes, James?"

The dark-eyed boy looked at his twin and Florence knew right then that nothing good was coming from that conversation. James looked at his mother again and asked:

"What is dad like?"

Florence had been waiting for that question for a while. So she took a deep breath and began:

"Well, he's a very powerful wizard. He's brilliant too."

"Why doesn't he live here with us?" asked Nicholas.

She looked at them and became serious:

"Boys, I'll tell you everything you want to know but..." she sighed. "You two must promise me that you'll never talk about this in front of anyone. It's a secret, okay?"

"We promise." they said in unison.

"Well..." Florence continued. "You've already heard me and grandma talking about the upcoming war, right?" the boys nodded. "And you know that we're completely against those people that hurt others like Aunt Lily only because they're muggle-born, right?" they nodded again. "Ok... your dad he... worked for those people..."

"Dad's evil?" asked James, worried.

"No. No! Listen... he did that many years ago. I had told him not to join them but he didn't listen to me. So he began to work for the bad people. But, about that same time, I found out I was pregnant. Thinking about you two, trying to protect you, I lied to your father. I told him that you were Sirius' children. And that's what your father still believes is the truth."

"But is he evil?" insisted Nicholas.

"No, dear. Once your father saw what those people were doing, that they were hurting innocent muggles, he decided to help Dumbledore..."

"The Headmaster of Hogwts. Hogiwars..." tried Nicholas.

"Hogwarts." helped Florence, smiling. "Yes, Nick. Your dad spies on the bad guys to help the Order Of The Phoenix."

"And the bad guys don't know that?" James asked.

"No, James." said Florence.

"And what happens if they find out?" Nicholas asked.

"They'll... well, they'll probably hurt your dad." said Florence, trying to answer without using the word _"kill"_.

"So dad is risking his life for the Order?" asked Nicholas.

"Yes, Nick. He risks his life everyday to make sure that the good guys beat the bad ones in the end."

The boys looked at each other in silence.

Florence had always suspected that the boys shared some sort of mental communication link, because of moments like that, when they just stared at eachother and nodded as if having a silent conversation. They looked back at her after a while.

"Dad's a hero then." said James.

"Yes, you could say that he is." said Florence.

"And grandma is dad's mom?" asked Nicholas.

"Yes, Nick."

"Do we look like dad?"

"Yes, James. A lot!" Florence smiled and pointed at the dark-eyed boy. "You are as stubborn as your dad. And you both have his hair and you, James, have his eyes, while Nick has mine."

"Where does he live?" asked Nicholas.

"In Hogwarts. He's a teacher there."

"What does he teach?" asked James.

"Potions."

"Wow!" the twins exclaimed. They were both fascinated by potions, they loved to watch when Florence prepared some.

"Mom, if dad's a hero, why doesn't he live here with us?" asked James.

"Because it would be dangerous. For us and for him. Remember, boys, he's a spy..."

"What's his name?" asked Nicholas.

"Is it Severus?" asked James.

"Yes... but how do you know that?" she asked, confused.

"We heard grandma saying it once..." said Nicholas.

"...while she was talking to Sam." said James.

And just like that, the questions stopped for a while. They laid their heads on their mother's lap again and watched TV.

"Hey, Nick!" exclaimed James suddenly, raising his head to look at his brother. "He's that man we saw..."

"... that night at grandma's!" completed Nicholas, having also raised his head to look at his twin.

"Yes." confirmed Florence. "I know about that night. That man is your father."

"Will he come live here someday?" asked James, lying his head on Florence's lap again. Nicholas did the same.

"I don't know..." she said, petting their heads. _I don't know if he'd ever forgive me for hiding you from him all this time._ "Would you like him to come live here with us?"

"Yes!" they exclaimed.

"Maybe after the war is over..." said Florence.

"That would be awesome." said Nicholas.

"Yes, it would..." murmured James.

* * *

Eileen spent the day looking after the boys so Florence took the afternoon to go shopping. The twins needed some new pants and shirts and coats and... well, everything. They were getting bigger every week, there were not enough transfiguration spells that could fix their clothes.

Florence entered Madame Malkins, got everything the boys needed plus some things for herself and walked to the cashier. She was waiting in line when she heard her name being called:

"Florence!"

"Hello, Rosmerta." Florence answered in a dry tone, not turning around to look at the other woman.

"I'm really glad you're here." said Rosmerta. "I'd love to hear your opinion about my wedding dress."

That got Florence's attention. She turned around quickly and stared at Rosmerta, who was wearing a beautiful white wedding dress.

"You're... you're getting married?" Florence asked.

"Yes! Before the end of the year I'll become Mrs. Severus Snape!" Rosmerta exclaimed. "Isn't it wonderful?"

Florence was speechless. She was trying hard not to punch Rosmerta's happy smiling face. That would make a great headline on the Daily Prophet: _Former Death Eater's fiancé is brutally murdered while trying on her wedding dress. _

"And has a proposal been made?" asked Florence, trying to control the anger that burned in her chest.

"Not yet, but after last night it won't take him long to propose." Rosmerta smiled mischievously as if remembering something pleasurable.

Florence knew she was really close to killing the other woman, so she paid for her items and left the store without looking back.

* * *

Florence entered her house, dropped her bags in the living room couch and walked into the kitchen. She needed a tea or something; anything to calm her down. She wanted to cry and scream and punch Rosmerta and then Snape and then herself because she knew she was guilty too.

She grabbed the tea pot and barely noticed a worried Tiffany leaving the kitchen. A few seconds later Eileen entered the kitchen.

"Florence, dear, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." she wiped her eyes and took a cup from the cabinet.

"Don't lie, darling. Tell me, what happened that made you so nervous?"

"That stupid Rosmerta was at Madame Malkins..." Florence filled her cup with the calming tea and sat at the table.

"So?"

"She was trying on a beautiful white dress. A damned white wedding dress..." she finished in a sad voice.

"Are you kidding me?" exclaimed Eileen, angry.

"No, I wish I was. I saw her, godmother. I hadn't even seen she was there in the store, but then she called me and mentioned her wedding dress so I turned around and saw her..."

"I'm going to write him a letter right now!" Eileen got up.

"No! Eileen, please! He'll think I'm jealous and..."

"This is not just about you, dear. I'm his mother, he must inform me if he's really thinking about getting married so I can stop him from doing such nonsense!"

And Eileen left the kitchen.

* * *

**Hogwarts' dungeons**

Snape paced the floor furiously inside his classroom. His mother's letter opened on his table. _How dare Rosmerta do such thing?! She deliberately provoked Florence! Who does she think she is?_

He grabbed some Floo powder, entered his fireplace and went to the Three Broomsticks.

* * *

**In the Three Broomsticks**

Rosmerta was behind the front counter when he walked out of the fireplace.

"Hi, Sev." she greeted him, smiling.

"I've already told you not to call me that! We need to talk. Now."

"Ok. Let's go upstairs to my bedroom, then." she suggested.

"No. I prefer to have this conversation in your father's office."

"Ok." she said.

They walked into the office. Snape closed the door and muttered: "Muffliato." then he turned around to look at her. "Who do you think you are to provoke Florence without a reason?"

She got furious instantly and nearly screamed:

"Why do you care so much? You're always defending her, always stopping me from talking trash about her, you even say her damn name while you sleep!"

"Answer me." he ordered.

"When will you realize that I'm the right woman for you, Sev? I've loved you since I was thirteen!" she tried to touch him.

"How many times must I explain to you that I've only transformed what we have in a formal relationship so your stupid father would stop bothering me?" he held her wrists, preventing her from touching him. "I don't love you. I never said I did. I have no intentions on making you my wife."

"But if she appeared here and wanted to marry you, you would make her your wife, wouldn't you?" growled Rosmerta. "If you could, I bet you'd force her to marry you!"

"I wouldn't need to force her into doing anything." he let go of her arms. "And this is over."

"What?" Rosmerta asked, worried.

"This stupid fake engagement ends now." and with a flick of his wand the ring on her right hand disappeared.

"No, Sev, we could..." she tried to talk to him.

"Don't. Call. Me. That!" he said furiously.

"She can call you that!" accused Rosmerta with tears in her eyes.

"Florence can call me whatever she likes; she has that liberty, you don't!"

And he left the office and the bar, going down the street towards Florence's house.

* * *

**In Florence's house**

Nearly one hour later, Eileen came back to the kitchen after sending her son the letter and calming down a bit. Florence was still there, a third cup of calming tea in her hand - she had stopped crying but the pain in her chest was still oppressive.

The twins were there too, eating some sandwiches and eying hungrily the chocolate cake that was cooling in the center of the table.

"Mistress Florence." said Tiffany.

"Yes, Tif?"

"Mr. Snape is in the living room, he wishes to speak to you."

"Dad's here?" asked James, quickly putting his sandwich down and looking at his mother.

Eileen looked at Florence and then at her grandsons, shocked.

"How on Earth do you know that?" Eileen asked James.

"I told them, godmother." Florence said and then looked at the boys. "You two stay in here, don't even think about going to the living room." and she left the kitchen.

As she entered the living room, she saw Snape there, by the bookshelf, looking at some pictures of the twins, frown lines marring his forehead.

"Severus." she called his name, her heart beating madly in her chest. "To what do I owe this visit?"

"I'm here to clarify some misunderstanding that took place earlier today."

"If this is about your marriage..."

"There's no marriage." he interrupted. "Rosmerta made that up to hurt you."

"And why would it hurt me?" she asked, trying to show that she was over him. "If you are getting married, Severus, it's your problem. I don't need explanations; you don't owe me anything. You can marry whoever you like. I have nothing to do with your life."

He just looked at her and he could see past her lies. She had been crying; she had been hurt by the news of his marriage – but she was trying to hide it.

"If that was all..." she said, feeling nervous with the way he was staring at her.

"Yes. Sorry for bothering you." he looked one more time at the pictures in the bookshelf and then he left the house.

* * *

**That evening**

"Will you stay the night here, Eileen? Dumbledore invited me to go over to the castle for dinner tonight."

"Good, you should go. Don't worry about the boys, Flor, I'll always look after them."

"I know. Thanks, godmother."

"It's I who must thank you for giving me such beautiful grandchildren."

"Oh, please. Stop. Don't make me cry again..."

* * *

**That night, in Hogwarts**

Florence was walking through the corridors, talking to Dumbledore. They met McGonagall by the Great Hall doors.

"Hello, my dear! Why didn't you bring your sons with you again?" asked McGonagall.

"Eileen is looking after them." Florence said.

"How are they?" asked Dumbledore.

The three of them walked into the Great Hall.

"They're great, thanks for asking. They learn something new every day and come to ask me why this, why that, why why why." she laughed.

Florence sat at the teacher's table, beside Dumbledore. The chair on her left was empty; she imagined it was Snape's. He hadn't arrived yet.

"He told me he wouldn't have dinner in the Great Hall tonight." said Dumbledore when he noticed she kept looking to the empty chair.

"Why? Is it because I'm here?" she asked.

"I don't know, dear? What do you think?" asked Dumbledore. But Florence didn't answer. "Did you two fight recently?" he asked.

"Yes. Sort of." she murmured.

"He's not really getting married, you know?"

"I know that. He went to my house earlier today to tell me that."

"He broke up with Rosmerta." said Dumbledore.

"Maybe that's the reason why he's not here. He must be upset with the end of their relationship."

Dumbledore peered at Florence over his glasses.

"Don't try to block the sun with a sieve, dear. You're lying to yourself. Go talk to him."

"I knew there was a reason behind your invitation, Dumbledore." she dropped her fork in her plate.

"Just go talk to him. Go make both of you happy." he said, smiling mischievously.

Florence looked at him pretending to be insulted.

"I have no idea what you mean by that."

"Yes, you know, my dear. You may lie to yourself but you can't fool me."

Florence got up and walked towards the dungeons.

* * *

Someone was knocking on his door.

Snape put on some shirt, not fully buttoning it up.

He opened the door, ready to kick Albus Dumbledore out of his dungeons.

"Florence?" he looked at her confused. "Is everything all right?"

"No. Albus insinuated that you haven't had dinner upstairs because I am here tonight." she walked inside.

Snape crossed his arms over his chest and looked at her, the door still open.

"First of all, I don't remember having invited you to come in, Miss Delacour. Second, I do remember hearing you telling me earlier today that I didn't owe you any explanations about my life. And third..." he looked at her, fucking her body with his eyes. He closed the door. "You should know that it's too dangerous to come inside a former Death Eater's room completely on your own." Florence took several steps back trying to stay away from him but he kept on walking slowly towards her. "And it gets even more dangerous when you have such a delicious body..."

Florence felt the cold wall behind her back and took out her wand, pointing it at him.

"Stop right there!" she ordered.

"If I don't, what will you do?" he asked, raising his arms in mock surrender.

"Take one more step and you'll see."

And he did. He walked towards her and grabbed his wand.

"Impedimenta" she cast.

"Protego" he cast.

Florence ran to the door.

_Incarcerous._ He silently cast.

And Florence fell down onto the floor, her legs tied together.

"Diffindo" she cast and got up quickly; she silently cast: _Sectumsempra!_

"Protego." he said. "Using my own spells against me, Flor?"

"Your spells? As far as I remember you had help to create them!"

"True. Expelliarmus_._"

"Stupefy!" she cast, but he deflected it. Florence turned to the door. It was locked. She cast: "Alohomora." but nothing happened. Snape was walking slowly towards her. She was getting desperate, so she cast: "Bombarda."

"Give up. It'll absorb anything and everything you cast against it." he said.

"Open it! Do as I say or you'll regret it!"

He laughed softly. He was too close to her now. She touched the tip of her wand to his neck. Trying not to think about how turned on she was, all that fighting and shouting had turned her on to the point of making her feel uncomfortably hot.

"Last chance." she growled.

"You're not intimidating me, Miss Delacour."

"Imperio." she cast. Snape's eyes lost focus and she ordered: "Give me the door key."

Snape reached inside his sweatpants pocket and got the key, but instead of giving it to her, he threw it to the other side of the room and, in seconds, had a stunned Florence against the wall, his body trapping hers against it.

"Did you really think that you would be able to control me?" he tried to kiss her but she bit him. "I've trained to not be controlled by an Imperius Curse..." his lips on her neck, his teeth scraping her skin, making her shiver.

"I hate you..." she murmured, feeling her soft body against his hard one. He kissed her lips again and then she kissed him back. Snape lifted her from the floor and carried her to his dinner table. Florence sat there, he between her legs. He opened her shirt, exposing all the delicious white flesh he was dying to taste, lick, bite, mark as his. He kissed her collarbone and went down to her breasts. He took her bra off and his mouth went straight to her nipples. She arched her back and moaned.

"Severus, please... we can't." she pleaded. "Please..."

"Please, what? Please forget that I've tried to intimidate you?"

"No, please..." she was moaning, his teeth had joined his tongue on her nipples.

"Please, think I've lost my mind." he said.

"Stop, please..." her words had no strength at all. "Severus..."

"Oh, please..." he kept on forming her sentences for her. "Please, Sev, fuck me until I can no longer remember who I am." his tongue invaded her mouth, searching for hers, kissing her possessively. He stared at her. "Please, prove to me that I'm yours. Make love to me." he finished in a soft tone.

"No. I don't want it."

"You shouldn't tell lies, Miss Delacour." he laughed softly and removed his own shirt.

Florence stared at his chest, her hands touching him, pulling him closer.

His hands found her panties underneath her medium-length skirt and he ripped it apart.

Florence was biting his neck, teasing his ear with licks and moans. He pulled his own pants down and thanked Merlin he hadn't put any underwear on after showering earlier that night. He released his painfully hard dick from inside his sweatpants and took it in his hand, guiding it to her wet entrance. He didn't penetrate her, though. He rubbed his cock all over her pussy, teasing her.

Florence tried not to beg him to fuck her. She could feel him, the hard head rubbing on her center, so deliciously slow. His mouth was in her ear, murmuring obscenities. One of his hands was playing with her nipples. Then he put just the head of his dick inside her but quickly took it out, resuming to rub it against her clit.

"You're still not wanting it?" he asked in a rough voice.

Florence bit her own lips, trying hard not to say a word, she knew if she opened her mouth she'd moan and scream at him, beg him to fuck her long and hard.

He licked her closed lips and her neck. One thumb torturing her left nipple. He bit her earlobe.

"Do you want me to stop?" he asked while he penetrated her slowly, completely, putting his cock deep inside her body and then getting out as slowly as he had got in.

Florence gasped when she felt her inner walls closing around his hard member, trying to pull him in again, to stop him from getting out.

"Why don't you say anything, Flor?" Snape put the head of his cock inside her again. "Something wrong?"

She couldn't take all that teasing anymore. She grabbed his hair, devouring his mouth, moaning over his lips.

"Yes..." she gasped. "Fuck me... fuck me now. I need you inside me... I need all of you inside me... fucking me."

"How can I be sure you're not lying?" it was so difficult to keep his control, she was begging him, opening her legs wider, pulling him closer, but he wanted to torture her longer. "Maybe you don't really want me to fuck you..."

She tried harder to pull him closer, trying to impale herself on his cock.

"You drive me crazy, Sev..." she moaned. "I'm crazy about you... fuck me. I need you, only you..."

He looked at her, the messy hair, the swollen lips, the pink cheeks. Her legs around his waist pulling him closer. One of his hands fisted in her hair, the other held her hips down and he thrust his cock inside her, all of it in one single move.

Florence screamed in his mouth, he never stopped kissing her lips. He moved his hips violently, fucking her hard. She came once, twice... getting wetter and squeezing him harder. As she was closing around his dick for a third time, too hot, too wet, too tight, he let himself go and came too. Her moans and mewls in his ears. Both his hands holding her hips in place as he unloaded inside her body.

Florence lay down on her back on the table, gasping for breath. She had her eyes closed, he knew what she must be thinking. He let his softening dick slip out of her body. Florence slowly sat up. He held her in his arms.

"I hate you." she murmured against his chest.

"No, you don't. You love me as much as I love you..."

_Yes, I do love you. _She thought.

"I heard that." he murmured.

"What?"

"We can still hear eachother's thoughts." Snape said, smiling. He kissed her, slowly, tasting her lips, their tongues touching passionately. "Marry me." said he.

"I've already told you I can't and won't marry you." she pushed him away and got off the table. She picked her clothes and put them on.

"Flor..."

"No, Severus!" she interrupted. "Stop proposing. We can't get married!" she took her wand and cast: "Accio door key."

And the key flew from the floor to her hand; she opened the door and left his private quarters. She walked quickly to Dumbledore's office to get into his fireplace and go home.


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter Thirty-five**

**Halloween Party**

**October 31****st**

**Florence's House**

**In the afternoon**

Eileen had just arrived and Florence was about to leave the house; she was going to help McGonagall with the Halloween party in the castle that night.

"Where are the boys?" asked Eileen.

"Grandma!" the twins screamed, running towards her.

"Thanks for coming, godmother." said Florence. "Lily is going to leave little Harry here later."

"No problem, dear."

"Please, don't give them too much candy." Florence said.

"Ok, ok... no candies." Eileen said, winking at the twins. She took a small box from her purse. "Can you take this package to Severus, please?" Florence looked at her, clearly not liking that idea. "Oh, please, Florence, just give him the blasted package. You don't even have to talk to him!"

"Fine." Florence took the box from Eileen's hands.

She kissed her sons good bye and entered the fireplace, going to Hogwarts.

* * *

"Florence, my dear!" greeted Dumbledore as she was leaving his fireplace. "Minerva has been waiting for you!"

"Hello, Florence." said Snape.

"Hi." she handed him the package that was in her hands. "Your mother asked me to give you this."

"Thank you. Is she at your house?" asked Snape, putting the little box in his coat pocket.

"Yes, she's looking after the twins for me; and Lily will leave Harry there before coming here."

Dumbledore watched them, his blue eyes sparkling mischievously.

"Severus, would you please walk Florence to the Great Hall? Minerva is there."

"Of course, Headmaster." Snape walked to the door and opened it. "Florence."

She left and he closed the door behind them. They walked in silence.

When they reached the Great Hall, they said good-bye and she walked in.

* * *

**7 p.m.**

Florence was in one of the empty teacher's rooms on the third floor. She was getting ready to go to the Great Hall. She finished putting on her lipstick and left the room.

* * *

The Great Hall was decorated with flying pumpkin lamps, skeletons and other muggle Halloween decorations. Many students were already there wearing lots of different costumes. Some members of The Order of The Phoenix were there as well.

* * *

**10 p.m.**

The party was really good, but the Potters had yet to arrive.

Sirius and Remus were already there, Florence was talking to them. Snape followed her every move with his eyes.

"Where are they?" she asked.

"You know how James is, Flor. They'll probably arrive late just to scare us." said Sirius.

"I don't know. I'm worried." she said.

"What could possibly happen, Florence?" said Remus. "Sirius is here." he tried to calm her down. "He's the secret-keeper. Everything is fine. Maybe baby Harry is not feeling well."

"Yes, maybe you're right." she gave him a weak smile.

"Let's dance?" Remus offered her his arm.

"Let's." she accepted.

And Florence walked to the dance floor with Remus.

* * *

**11:30 p.m.**

"Something is not right, Dumbledore." murmured Florence.

"Florence, calm down. If anything bad had happened we would have known already." he looked at Snape standing up on the other side of the room.

"I know that, but... it's just so strange that they're not here yet..." she said.

Snape walked towards them.

"Is everything alright, Severus?" asked Dumbledore.

"Yes, Headmaster."

A slow romantic song began to play.

"Severus," said Dumbledore. "Why don't you take Florence to the dance floor? This is such a beautiful song..."

"It wouldn't be appropriate." Florence replied quickly.

"Ha! Don't try to fool me, Florence! I'm this school's Headmaster and I say it wouldn't be a problem to see you two dancing." he looked at Snape. "Come on! Take her hand and go to the dance floor. Don't make me call Sirius here, I'm sure he wouldn't mind dancing with her."

Snape sighed and looked at her.

"Miss Delacour, would you like to dance?" he held out his hand for her.

Florence nodded and put her hand in his.

They walked to the dance floor. It was full of couples dancing very close to each other.

Some students stopped dancing when they saw Snape dancing with such beautiful woman, they were shocked.

One of his hands rested on her low back, the other held her hand.

The hand that he wasn't holding, Florence put on his chest, over his heart. They were so close. Their bodies almost touching; that was dangerous. Florence could feel her body answering to his proximity, answering to his hard body - which she missed so much. She felt her mouth going dry and licked her lips. Snape didn't miss that move, his eyes on her pink lips, now wet. He looked into her eyes, pulling her closer to his body slowly. Now their bodies were touching, their faces so close; their lips a hairsbreadth apart. They were lost in eachother's eyes. The music changed, another slow song began:

_**To really love a woman**_  
_**To understand her - you gotta know her deep inside**_  
_**Hear every thought - see every dream**_  
_**N' give her wings - when she wants to fly**_  
_**Then when you find yourself lyin' helpless in her arms**_  
_**You know you really love a woman**_

_**When you love a woman you tell her **_  
_**that she's really wanted **_  
_**When you love a woman you tell her that she's the one **_  
_**She needs somebody to tell her **_  
_**that it's gonna last forever**_  
_**So tell me have you ever really**_  
_**\- really really ever loved a woman?**_

_**To really love a woman**_  
_**Let her hold you - til ya know how she needs to be touched **_  
_**You've gotta breathe her - really taste her**_  
_**Til you can feel her in your blood **_  
_**N' when you can see your unborn children in her eyes **_  
_**You know you really love a woman**_

It was impossible to look away. His hands pulled her even closer, their hearts beating so fast, she could feel his heart under her hand.

The lyrics so beautiful, so true, Snape couldn't ignore them.

His nose touched hers and then they were breathing in eachother's breath.

_**You got to give her some faith - hold her tight **_  
_**A little tenderness - gotta treat her right**_  
_**She will be there for you, takin' good care of you **_  
_**Ya really gotta love your woman... **_

_She's mine._ That was all he could think of while holding her so close, surrounded by her perfume, feeling her body responding to his. And when the singer asked at the end of the song:

_**Just tell me have you ever really, really, really, ever loved a woman? **_

Snape had his answer in his head. _Yes, I've really loved a woman.. I still love her. And she's here in my arms._

And the song came to an end and they both took a step away from each other. They walked side by side to where the Headmaster was. Florence was clearly shaken, her body was begging for his touches, her heart was beating madly in her chest. She sat down at a nearby table and drank the whole glass of punch that she found there, not caring whose it was. Sirius sat in front of her, looking at her with his arms crossed, clearly displeased by the previous dance scene.

And then Snape's Dark Mark burned on his forearm.

* * *

**Author's note:** I know that song (_Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman_) is from 1995 and this chapter is in 1981, but I just love it and it fits so perfectly with those two that I had to use it.


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter Thirty-six**

**It's Over**

Snape looked at Dumbledore and then at Florence.

"Something must be wrong. There wasn't any meeting scheduled for tonight." Snape said.

"I'll go to Godric's Hollow." said Florence, getting up from the chair.

"We don't need to worry, guys!" said Remus. "Sirius is here." he looked at his friend. "You didn't tell anybody where they live, right?"

"Of course not, but..." stuttered Sirius.

"But what?" shouted Florence.

"Black's not the secret-keeper." growled Snape still holding his left forearm.

"What are you talking about?" she looked at Sirius. "What is he talking about, Sirius? You told us you were the secret-keeper! They _said_ they had chosen you!"

"We lied!" shouted Sirius.

"Who is the secret-keeper, Sirius?" asked Florence furiously.

"P-Peter." answered Sirius.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Florence looked at Dumbledore. "Put the protections down, we must Disapparate now!"

Dumbledore pointed his wand at the ceiling and murmured some words.

"Ok, it's done. You can go now!" said the Headmaster.

And Florence, Snape, Remus and Sirius Disapparated.

* * *

**Godric´s Hollow**

The gate was open and so was the front door of the Potter's house. Florence ran inside.

"Oh, no!" she covered her mouth with her hand when she saw James lying dead on the living room floor. "James..." she kneeled beside her friend.

Then a laugh could be heard, a cold evil sound. Florence got up and ran to the stairs. But Snape stopped her by holding her arm. "Let me go!" she ordered.

"I can't let you go up there." he said.

"As if you could stop me!" she touched the hand he wasn't holding on his chest and he flew backwards, falling on the sofa. Florence ran upstairs, her wand in hand. "Lily!" she called. When she reached Harry's bedroom door, it was locked, but she could hear voices from inside – apparently Lily was talking to Voldemort. "_Bombarda Maxima_." Florence cast trying to enter the room.

But at the same time she cast that, another spell was cast inside the room:

"_Avada Kedavra_."

And the nursery exploded in a green light. Florence was thrown against the corridor wall and everything went black.

* * *

Snape got up from the couch as fast as he could and ran upstairs after Florence. He had just reached the top of the stairs when everything exploded. He lay down on the floor trying to protect his head from the ceiling that was, apparently, falling down. Once it stopped, Snape got up and looked around; then he saw Florence. She was lying on the floor. He ran to her and kneeled down by her side, checking for a pulse. _Don't die, please. Don't be dead. Don't be dead._ He thought non stop. He found a pulse and sighed in relief. She was still alive. Snape took her into his arms and heard footsteps downstairs. He pointed his wand to the stairs.

"Severus?" called Remus from the bottom of the stairs.

"Up here." he answered, lowering his wand and walking to the stairs. But then he heard a small cry. "Lupin! Come up here! I think... I think Harry is still alive!"

Remus ran upstairs, stopping when he saw Snape with Florence in his arms.

"What happened to her?" he asked.

"The... killing curse, I don't know why, but it exploded the room and she was by the door." Snape answered.

"Is she...?"

"She's alive. I'll take her to the castle..." he looked inside the destroyed nursery. "I think Lily is dead... but Harry is crying."

Remus nodded and walked into the nursery.

Snape Disapparated to the castle.

Remus Disapparated right after him with baby Harry in his arms.

* * *

**Hogwarts**

**Hospital Wing**

Pomfrey passed her wand over Florence's body, murmuring:

"Not good... not good at all."

"Would you stop saying that and tell me what is wrong with her?" barked a nervous Snape.

"Apparently..." said Pomfrey, stopping her wand. "Florence is... _was_ pregnant. About five weeks already..."

"Pregnant?" he sat down on the chair by her bed. "Five weeks..." he repeated. They had made love about five weeks ago. "And how is she? And the baby?" he quickly stood up.

"I'm afraid she's lost it, Severus."

Snape sat back down once more, his head on his hands; he fisted both his hands in his hair and his shoulders shook. Pomfrey knew he was silently crying; she felt like crying herself as she looked at the man in front of her, he looked devastated.

"I'm sorry... but she lost too much blood, there's nothing I can do. I believe some part of the killing curse hit her as it exploded the nursery..." she paused. "I'll medicate her... would you have any Abortive Potion?"

Snape raised his head staring at Pomfrey with a frown.

"Why on Earth do you need that?" he asked.

"I must clean her womb, Severus, otherwise she may get an infection and even become sterile. Would you prepare some?"

"Don't ask me to prepare an Abortive Potion to use against my own child, Poppy." he said in a pain-filled voice.

Pomfrey hesitated.

"He's already dead, Severus." she said softly. The look on his face was breaking her heart.

The grief-stricken man in front of her took a deep breath and stood up.

"I think I sent you some last month." he said.

"Oh, yes, I think you did. I normally use it to help girls with long periods, you know..." and Pomfrey walked into her stock room.

Snape pulled the chair closer to Florence's bed and held one of her hands in his. He couldn't stop the tears that rolled down his face.

* * *

A few minutes after Pomfrey had given her some Anesthetic Potion, Florence started to wake up. She opened her eyes slowly, feeling nauseous.

"Wh-what...? Where am I?" she asked.

"Oh, my dear." said Pomfrey. "You finally woke up."

Florence looked to her left and saw a teary-eyed Snape holding her hand.

"But..." she had never seen him crying before. "What happened?"

"How are you feeling, Florence?" asked Pomfrey.

"A little dizzy and... nauseous." she said trying to sit up. She looked at Snape who no longer held her hand. "Lily and James?"

"Both dead." he said, not looking at her.

Florence closed her eyes, took a deep breath and opened them again.

"I hope you're satisfied now." she accused him. "This is all your fault!"

"Don't blame him, Florence." ordered Dumbledore walking into the room. He stopped by her bed. "Sirius is the guilty one. He lied to us. He made us all believe that he was the secret-keeper."

"Where is he?" Florence asked.

"He is being accused of murder and will probably be condemned to Azkaban."

"But he wasn't the secret-keeper!" she exclaimed, feeling the nausea increasing.

"I know that..." Dumbledore sighed. "But there's more... some people are saying that Sirius killed Peter Pettigrew."

"And Harry?" Florence asked, fearing the answer.

"Unbelievably alive." answered Snape, pointing to a small crib near the window. "Only a cut on his forehead, nothing else."

Florence looked at the crib and then at Dumbledore.

"And my... what about Voldemort?" she asked.

"Gone." said Snape.

"Gone how? Dead?" Florence asked.

"Some say he's dead but I don't think so." answered Dumbledore. "He's just weak and it'll probably take him a long time to get back. Or so I hope. But one day he'll find a way to come back..."

"How did Harry survive?" Florence asked.

"Lily threw herself in front of her son. She gave her life to protect him. Her love for her son saved him." said Dumbledore.

"I can understand that. I'd give my life for my boys too..." _and for their father as well._ She thought. After a while, she said: "Harry is going to live with me from now on. I'm his godmother; I'll take care of him."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible, Florence." said Dumbledore shaking his head.

"What do you mean? I'm his legal guardian now! I love that boy!" Florence said, not liking what the Headmaster was saying.

"When Lily gave her life to protect him she gave him so much more, Florence... her blood now protects him. He must live with those of her blood." said Dumbledore.

"I think I may have misunderstood you, Headmaster but... did you just say that Harry must be given to the Dursleys?" asked Snape.

"Yes, Severus. That's the right thing to do." confirmed Dumbledore.

"You're insane!" shouted Florence. "I won't allow it! Petunia will torture him!"

"I agree with Florence, Headmaster." said Snape.

"That woman is full of hate, Dumbledore. Petunia hates everything magical and Harry has already shown signs of possessing magical powers... she'll hurt him because he is something she isn't." Florence said.

"You'll be forcing the boy to live a miserable life, Dumbledore." said Snape.

"I'd love nothing more than to be able to give him to you, Florence... but this blood protection will only work if he lives near someone who has Lily's blood. And Petunia Dursley is our only option." he looked at the others in the room. "We'll keep an eye on him. If this blood protection doesn't work, he'll go straight to your house, Florence. Otherwise he'll live with the Dursleys until he's eleven and then we'll have him here in the castle."

No one said a word for a while. Pomfrey got closer to Florence's bed and gave her a vial.

"Here, dear, you must drink this."

"What is this?" Florence smelled it, recognizing its scent. "Why are you giving me this?" she was horrified.

"You were pregnant." answered Snape, not looking at her.

"Pregnant..." Florence murmured touching her flat stomach.

"Yes..." intervened Pomfrey. "But you lost the baby because of the killing curse and now you must drink this potion to clean up your womb; we have to make sure you won't get an infection."

"That's why I'm having cramps..." Florence said looking at the vial in her hands.

"Yes. Now drink it, dear." said Pomfrey.

Florence drank it all. And as soon as the vial left her lips, she started to cry. Snape held her in his arms and she cried against his chest.

"This is all your fault." she murmured.

"I know." he replied.

"If you hadn't joined them... everything would have been different." she pushed him away and lay down, crying herself to sleep.

Snape watched her sleep for a while and then left the Hospital Wing.

He walked to his cold dark dungeons. One single thought in his head: he had killed his own child. It was his fault even if it hadn't been him who cast the curse. The Lord went to Godric's Hollow that night only because Snape had told him about the Prophecy. _And now my only child is dead. My only chance at having a family with Florence. _He reached his private quarters and closed the door. All the candles were off. He walked to his favorite armchair in front of the unlit fireplace and sat there, letting the darkness embrace him. And death had never sounded sweeter.

* * *

**November 1****st****, 1981**

**Privet Drive**

**Little Whinging**

The streets were dark, thanks to Professor Dumbledore. He was waiting for Hagrid in front of the house number four.

The Headmaster saw a cat sitting on a wall looking at him angrily.

"Fancy seeing you here, Minerva."

And the cat transformed into Professor McGonagall.

"You've got to be kidding, Albus! Will you really leave little Harry here, with these muggles?"

"Yes. I must."

"This boy could leave in a loving home and you're condemning him to live with these people. They're the worst kind of muggles I've ever seen, Albus! They are..."

"The only family he has." interrupted Dumbledore.

Hagrid arrived with the baby.

"Good night. Professor Dumbledore. Professor McGonagall." he gave the little baby to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore walked to the Dursleys's front porch and put the baby there on the floor in front of the door.

"Please, Albus, take him to Florence..." begged McGonagall.

"You know why I can't do that, Minerva." he put a letter on the baby's blanket. "Florence will marry Severus in the near future, we all know that. Voldemort will come back someday and we can't have the boy-who-lived being raised as a son by Voldemort's most prized Death Eater."

McGonagall didn't reply. She just turned around and Disapparated without a word.

Hagrid left on his flying bike while Dumbledore restored the street lights and Disapparated too.

* * *

**Florence's House**

Florence walked out of the fireplace and stared at her silent living room. Pomfrey had let her go home on the condition that she would rest for a few days.

Florence slowly walked upstairs, entered her sons' bedroom and watched the twins sleep for a while. Then she took a deep breath and left their room, going to her own. She took a long hot shower trying not to think of the earlier events; she saw the remaining traces of blood on her thighs and the tears came. Florence left the shower, put on some comfortable pajamas and lay down on her bed; but she couldn't sleep. She tried to read but she had too many thoughts in her head.

She walked downstairs, maybe some tea could help her sleep. She found Melody in the kitchen and asked the young elf for some calming tea. Florence sipped it as she stared at the flames in the fireplace. Some minutes or maybe hours later - she wouldn't know - she heard loud noises and screams outside. Florence closed her eyes; she knew why the world was celebrating, but she just couldn't join them, she couldn't find it in herself to feel happy.

Eileen appeared on the top of the stairs.

"Flor... what's happening?" she walked downstairs. "Why are you here in the living room, sitting on the floor?" Eileen sat on the couch, yawning. "Are those fireworks I hear?"

"Yes, Eileen. Voldemort has been defeated."

"What? Really? That's amazing! Who killed him?" exclaimed Eileen.

"Harry.

"Harry? Harry who?" asked Eileen confused.

"Harry Potter."

"But he's just a baby!"

"Yes... but Voldemort tried to kill him and Lily protected her son... the killing curse destroyed half of the Potter's house and killed Lily. But Harry survived. My father, apparently, died."

"That's... crazy."

"Yes..." Florence stared at the flames for a bit and resumed talking. "Now Lily and James are dead, Sirius is locked up in Azkaban because he killed Peter Pettigrew – who was, believe it or not, the _true_ secret-keeper. Remus is in Hogwarts, severely hurt, because, after he had helped taking Harry to the castle, he went to help the Longbottoms; Frank and Alice were tortured by Bellatrix and Barty Crouch Jr. They are both in St. Mungus now, with permanent damage. Little baby Neville is going to be raised by his grandmother. And Harry is going to live with the Dursleys."

"This is... what a crazy story, Flor."

"Yes. And I lost the baby I didn't know I was carrying." Florence murmured, staring at the empty tea cup in her hands.

"What?" exclaimed Eileen.

"Pomfrey told me I was pregnant... but when the Killing Curse destroyed the Potter's house, it hit me too. I've trained to survive one killing curse but the baby didn't make it." and Florence felt the tears rolling down her face again. She pulled her legs to her chest and let her head fall on her knees.

"Oh, my dear..." Eileen kneeled beside her, hugging her.

"I feel so... empty, godmother. I lost a child..." Florence was sobbing.

"Does Severus know?"

"Yes. He was there, he was the one who took me to the castle..." Florence didn't want to think about him. She knew he would probably be as desperate as she was, it wasn't difficult to realize that the baby she had lost was his child.

"I can't believe this..." murmured Eileen. "James and Lily are dead... sweet Lily. And Sirius is in Azkaban!"

"He's innocent... he shouldn't be there. If he murdered Pettigrew he was only avenging his friends."

"But that's not how our laws work, right, my dear? If he killed Peter he must go to Azkaban..."

"It's just not fair."

After a few moments a big brown owl entered the house by the window. It left a Daily Prophet on the table and left as quickly as it had entered.

Florence picked the newspaper up and started to read the front page headlines:

_THE BOY-WHO-LIVED_

_On this Halloween night we celebrated the Dark Lord's downfall. During a duel against aurors James and Lily Potter, You-Know-Who's lost his powers and vanished. Before he died, he tried to kill the couple's one-year-old son, Harry Potter. No one knows how the baby boy survived. The Killing Curse cast by You-Know-Who only left a small lightning-shaped scar on the boy's forehead. We're sad to announce that the Potter couple is dead. James and Lily gave their life for their only son. Read more about Harry, the Boy-Who-Lived, on page 9._

"And here they mention Severus..." said Florence, reading:

_DUMBLEDORE REITERATES: SNAPE IS INNOCENT_

_Against all the evidences, Hogwarts' Headmaster Albus Dumbledore keeps saying Severus Snape is innocent. Snape's a known Death Eater and he's been teaching Potions in the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry since last year. Headmaster Dumbledore says Snape no longer supports You-Know-Who. His words were: "__Severus Snape was __indeed a Death Eater. However, he rejoined our side and turned spy for us, at great personal risk. He is now no more a Death Eater than I am." _

_Our new columnist, Rita Skeeter, wrote a small note about Hogwarts Headmaster: "Albus Dumbledore is known from trusting the wrong people, having distasteful friendships and no respect at all for our laws." _

_Read more about Snape and Dumbledore on page 14._

Florence let the newspaper fall on the coffee table.

"What will you do now, Florence?" Eileen asked.

"I'll focus on helping Remus to get better... and I'll keep making the Wolfsbane Potion for him..." Florence sighed. "As for the future... right now, I have no idea what I'll do, godmother. I'll just live one day at a time."

* * *

**Author's note:** and here, November, 1981, ends the First Part of this fanfic. Gosh, this chapter was really difficult to review and upgrade. This is not the end, this fanfic has 87 chapters, so there are still lots of things to happen, don't worry.


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter Thirty-seven **

**Help (Not) Wanted**

**December, 1981**

**Hogwarts' Dungeons**

Snape was grading some papers while a potion boiled on his huge work table. Wait, I said one? No, not one; four cauldrons were lit on the table, and all potions were mere minutes from being ready.

"Damn it." he cursed and wrote a big red T on the student's paper.

He rested his elbows on the desk and stared at it for a moment. There were still hundreds of essays for him to grade and it was already past three in the morning. He stood up, walked to the potions and finished them. Then he came back to his desk, sitting and getting another essay; but as he touched his quill to the paper to write some observations, it didn't write; the quill was dry, no ink in it. He could have just dipped his quill pen in the ink one more time, but he decided to throw it into the fireplace instead. _Stupid quill._ He was exhausted. He was moodier than ever. And he was hungry.

He stared at the flames for a moment before reaching inside his top drawer and getting another quill pen. And as he was about to attempt to write those observations for the second time, he remembered the conversation he'd had with the Headmaster the previous day. He growled, letting the quill fall on the desk. Dumbledore wanted to force him to accept an assistant. Some stranger messing with his organized stores, some stupid person invading his potions lab. _Never!_ He'd obviously disagreed with Dumbledore. He'd said no. _Abso-fucking-lutely no_. But Dumbledore was inflexible. So, wanting it or not, Snape would soon be getting an assistant.

* * *

**The previous day, in Dumbledore's office**

"I don't want an assistant." said Snape.

"My son, if you don't accept any help, I'll be forced to remove you from your teaching duties." Dumbledore stared at Snape for a moment. "Last week you put half of you students on detention; even slytherins! You _will_ have an assistant. I summoned you here not to ask your opinion on the matter, but to give you the chance to choose someone. Do you have anyone in mind?"

"No. I don't know anyone who would be able to work quietly with me and not blow up my laboratory with a simple Anticoagulant Potion." Snape growled.

"Well, I know of someone. She's even been invited to teach Poisons in Durmstrang - position she declined for personal reasons. I'll write to her right now."

"_Her?_ A woman?"

"Yes. Do you have a problem with that, Severus?"

"Yes. I don't want an assistant."

"I trust her talent." said Dumbledore. "Now, excuse me, please, I must write to her."

"Fine!" Snape finally conceded. "I'll accept an assistant. But only for a month, Headmaster. As soon as everything calms down, she leaves."

"Ok. She stays until everything calms down and then she leaves." Dumbledore picked up his quill and some paper. Snape stood up and walked to the door. "When will you realize you can't keep on living all by yourself, Severus?" said Dumbledore softly.

Snape didn't answer. He opened the door and left the office.

Dumbledore smiled openly.

* * *

**At a Park in Little Whinging**

"Stay away from the pond and do not transform nor do anything magical, ok?" Florence were telling her sons. The boys nodded. "Go and have fun!"

And the two dark-haired kids ran towards the swings of the playground.

Florence and Remus were sitting on a bench under a tree where they could watch the boys playing, at the same time that Florence could keep an eye on a certain tall woman with a double stroller a few meters from them. Petunia Dursley used to bring her own son and Harry every day to that park. Florence came to the park at least once a week to check if Harry was fine.

"I hate this..." Florence murmured. "I wish I could take him away from her."

"I know. Did you get to meet her?"

"No. Whenever I was at the Evans she never left her room. And the day Lily got married Petunia didn't even go to the wedding. But Severus told me about her. She was jealous that Lily was a witch and she wasn't. He met her briefly, before he went to Hogwarts."

Remus remained quiet for a while, thinking if he should ask her what was in his mind or not. He decided to ask:

"Florence. Now that the war is over, why don't you tell him the truth?"

She stared at her friend, trying to see if he was joking or not.

"Why are you asking me that?"

"Because I think you should tell him. The boys are three years old already, they know who their dad is and they admire him. I just think it's not fair with neither the boys nor Severus. He deserves to know that those incredible kids are his. They are only three and they can do amazing things. They are both Animagi who can already control their animal form!"

"Remus you better stop defending him now or we'll fight."

"Fine." he said, raising his arms in defeat.

* * *

**Later that day in Florence's house**

"Remus, get James!" shouted Florence.

And Remus saw a small black bear cub running from the bathroom.

"James, stop that!" he ordered going after the boy. He ran faster and finally managed to grab the running bear. "Got you!" James transformed back into his human form with a grumpy face. Remus walked with the boy into the bathroom. "Where's Nick?"

"Already bathed, fed and asleep." Florence answered taking her moody son from Remus's arms. "Hey, Jamie, stop that grumpy attitude." the boy just laid his head on her chest and said nothing.

"Where have I seen such a stubborn dark-haired person before?" Remus laughed.

"I know..." Florence sighed.

After she'd bathed and fed James, she put him to sleep and closed the boys' bedroom door. Remus was waiting for her in the corridor.

"James is a lot like his father, isn't he?" he asked.

"Yes." Florence answered.

"Nicholas, on the other hand, is a complete angel when we take into consideration who his parents are." joked Remus.

Florence punched his arm jokingly.

"Stop that." she said, walking to her bedroom. "It's my turn to take a shower now."

"I'll order some pizzas, ok?" he said.

"Great idea!"

* * *

After they had eaten, Florence and Remus went to the living room. She was reading a book and he, the newspaper. Only the side lamps and the flames in the fireplace lighted up the room.

"Flor." called Remus, after an hour of silence. "What are you really afraid of?"

"Stop it, Remus." she said. "I don't want to get mad at you."

"I just want to understand it. You love him; he obviously still loves you. The war is over. You two have children together. You are blessed by The Enchantment, for Merlin's sake! Help me understand it, why aren't you two together?"

"Why is it me who has to go after him? Why can't he come talk to me?"

"Because he thinks you blame him for losing the baby. Or maybe he thinks you're grieving over the fact that Sirius is in prison. You told him that Sirius is the boys' father, after all." She didn't reply. "Has he ever seen the boys?" Remus asked.

"Yes, twice, at Eileen's."

"And he never questioned you about their looks?"

"No…" Florence said, shaking her head.

"He must be blind... James looks so much like him it's uncanny."

"Eileen said he's exactly like Severus was when he was a kid. I don't understand how he's never suspected anything either."

Suddenly, a letter was delivered under the front door. Remus stood up and picked it up, giving it to Florence.

"Thank you, Remus. It's... from Dumbledore." she said opening it.

_Dear Florence_

_How are you and those two little angels you have at home? I hope you're all doing great. _

_I write to you hoping that you'll come to my aid. I'll go straight to the point: would you consider spending some time here in Hogwarts helping a very grumpy and overworked Potions Master that I have living here in the dungeons? He can't handle all his work for the Order (we're still hunting down Death Eaters, you know) plus he's duties as a teacher and the potions he must prepare to the Hospital Wing. It's all too much. Last week I had twenty-eight students from the same class on detention - even slytherins! I fear that if he doesn't get an assistant as soon as possible, I'll end up having students in need of Post-Traumatic Treatment._

_I hope you'll agree to come to help us all. _

_And I'm looking forward to see your children, you must bring them with you._

_According to Professor Snape, you'll only be here for a month, but I hope you come and stay for as long as you want._

_Love,_

_Albus Dumbledore._

As she finished reading it, she sat on the couch. She didn't know what to do. Remus got the letter from her hands and quickly read it.

"You're going, right?" he asked.

"What? No, Remus." she paused. "I don't really know."

"But I do! You're going to write him back and say that you're going to the castle. Don't you see?" he kneeled in front of her. "This is your chance to be near the man you love."

"Why are you doing this?" she asked looking at him with a confused expression.

Remus got up from the floor and sat beside her.

"You know I love you." he began. "And I'm this close..." his forefinger and thumb near eachother. "...of falling in love with you." Florence made a face and was about to say something, but he went on: "How couldn't I? You're amazing, Florence. But I know your heart belongs to him. I know you won't ever be completely happy if not by his side, as strange as that sounds to me. I'm not Sirius, I know I can't make you happy, not as you truly deserve."

"But I can't go there, Remus! Severus can't see the boys!"

"He _must_ see them. And he will. And maybe he'll come questioning you and then you two will talk." he got up and grabbed a pen and some paper, giving them to her. "Write back to Dumbledore. I'll even go with you to the castle for a few days."

She sighed and did as her friend suggested.

_Professor Dumbledore_

_I'm not sure I'm doing the right thing but I'll go to the castle to help him. _

_I think I'm right when I say that this is probably against his will and that he doesn't know that you're requesting __me__ as his assistant._

_I only ask you to give me a day to organize everything. _

_Also, Remus is going with me for a few days, is that ok?_

_See you soon,_

_Florence_

* * *

**2:30 a.m.**

**Hogwarts's Dungeons**

Someone was knocking on his door. Snape got up and opened it, already knowing whom he'd find at the other side.

"Dumbledore. Come in." he went back to his desk.

"I only want to tell you that you'll have your assistant the day after tomorrow."

"Excellent." Snape replied sarcastically.

"Yes, it's really good. Florence has agreed to come here and help you for some time." Snape stopped writing and stared at Dumbledore. "Any problems, Severus?"

"You..."

"Don't say anything you might regret later." Interrupted Dumbledore, trying not to smile.

"Absolutely nothing of what I have to say to you will cause me any regrets later. How could you invite _her_ to be my assistant?"

"She's intelligent; and she's completely capable of helping you. You two were always great when working together here as students. I see nothing wrong with it. You always do great things together." Dumbledore said as if meaning more than just potions, confusing Snape. "Well, I just wanted to let you know that you can let those essays for another day and focus on finishing the potions and resting for tomorrow."

"Where will she stay?"

"I'll be giving her the big living quarters on the third floor. Because of the twins, she'll need the space."

"The twins? She'll bring her kids here?"

"Yes. They are only three years old, they need their mother. As I was saying, she'll stay on the third floor, in the living quarters that should belong to the Head of the Slytherin House, but they're too comfortable for you, I think."

Snape just nodded and went back to his potions.

"If that's all, Headmaster, I have some potions to finish."

And Dumbledore left the potions laboratory with a smile on his face.

* * *

**4 a.m.**

Snape was on his bed, still awake. He had napped for a few moments, only to dream about her and wake up drenched in sweat and with his dick as hard as a rock.

_I'll see her in less than two days... we'll be working together, alone. _

He closed his eyes.

_I don't know if I can face her. Not after the baby...and she'll bring her children here, Sirius' children. If I haven't forgiven myself for killing our unborn child how can she ever forgive me?_

Before the tears started to roll down his face, he fell asleep. Only to dream about her again. About a birthday of his, around four years ago, when he had gotten home and she was there, asleep on his bed...


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter Thirty-eight**

**Problems Ahead**

The day they would go to the castle had finally arrived.

Florence had already packed and shrank everything they would need. They were ready to go. The boys were finishing their breakfast. Florence had already eaten - but just a little for she was too nervous.

"Everything will be all right, Flor." Remus said.

"You don't know that. I don't know that. He'll probably hate me, Remus."

"No, Severus could never hate you." he hugged her. "Calm down now. Let's take the boys and go."

Florence nodded.

Once the boys finished eating, the four of them Disapparated to the castle's gates, where a carriage would be waiting to take them to the castle.

* * *

**At Hogwarts**

Snape went to the third floor to verify if everything was ready in the living quarters Florence and her children would be occupying for the next month. She'd be arriving there in a few minutes. He left the room and walked to the castle's front doors where Dumbledore, Pomfrey and McGonagall were already waiting for them.

"It's all done in Florence's quarters, Dumbledore." said Snape stopping beside the Headmaster.

"Excellent! What about Remus's quarters?" asked Dumbledore.

"It's ready as well." Snape said. "Why is he coming with her?"

"To help her look after the boys." explained Dumbledore. "They are so young and already so powerful. Both boys are Animagi, did you know that, Minerva?"

"Yes, Albus. Florence told me. She's just registered them. Three years old and they are registered Animagi, that's incredible." said McGonagall.

"Those boys are enchanting kids. I can't believe how adorable they are, considering who their father is." said Pomfrey.

"Yes. I'd never call Black adorable." murmured Snape.

"What?" asked Dumbledore, confused for a moment but then remembering. "Oh, yes, yes. You're right, Severus." he looked at the road that lead to the gates. "And there they are!" exclaimed the headmaster pointing at the carriage that was getting closer to the castle.

* * *

Florence could see there were four people waiting for them in front of the castle. So could the boys.

"Look, Nick. Dad's there!" exclaimed James.

"Wow, he's so tall." said Nicholas.

"Boys. You know you can't..." Florence said apprehensively.

"We know." the kids replied in unison.

"He looks scary..." said Nicholas. "If he weren't our dad I'd be afraid of him."

And Remus tried hard not to laugh at the boy's comment.

* * *

The carriage stopped right in front of the castle's doors. Florence got off and reached into the carriage to get James. Remus got Nicholas - who was quickly stolen by McGonagall.

"How are you, my dear?" asked Dumbledore.

"We're great, Dumbledore." she said smiling.

Snape just looked at her and the kids. James and Nicholas stared at their father, their eyes shining with admiration and love.

"What gorgeous boys you have, Florence!" exclaimed McGonagall with Nicholas in her arms.

"We better get inside, it's going to rain soon." said Pomfrey, noticing Snape and the kids staring intensely at one another.

* * *

They all went to Florence's quarters. The kids were running around looking at everything and talking nonstop.

McGonagall was staring at Florence, a question in her eyes.

"We'll leave you to organize your things, call us if you need anything." said Dumbledore. "Your fireplace is connected to the kitchens so you can order food anytime you want, but I'd love if you had some meals with us in the Great Hall."

"I will, Headmaster." said Florence.

"Can you go to my office later, Florence? I'd like to talk to you." asked McGonagall.

"Of course, Professor. I'll just organize the boys' things and I'll go see you."

"I'll take them for a walk while you two talk." said Remus.

Everybody left and Florence closed the door.

"Are you ok, Flor?" asked Remus.

"Yes." she sighed. "I'm fine."

They sat on the couch. They could hear the boys talking while organizing their toys in the room that would be theirs.

"What was that... Severus and the boys staring at one another?" Remus said.

"Don't remind me." she said, closing her eyes, worried. "I'm so screwed."

"Yeah… I think you have less than a week before Severus realizes that you've been lying all this years."

Florence opened her eyes and stared at the lit fireplace.

"McGonagall's already noticed. She wants to talk to me..." Florence said.

"I saw the way she was looking at the kids and then at Severus..." Remus said chuckling. "As if she was expecting him to scream at you at any moment and demand an explanation."

"Do you think he noticed anything?"

"No. Not yet." said Remus shaking his head. "But he will. He's an intelligent man; all he needs is to know the exact day the boys were born and then he'll figure it all out."

Florence just sighed and stared at the flames. She got up.

"I'll go talk to Prof. McGonagall."

"And I'll help the boys organize their things."

"Thank you, Remus." and she left.

* * *

**At McGonagall's office**

After they had had tea they talked about Florence's kids. But McGonagall had yet to ask what she really wanted to ask her. So Florence decided to say it:

"They're not Sirius' children."

McGonagall looked paralyzed for a moment but she soon recovered and spoke:

"I noticed."

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Florence smiled.

"Yes, it is." McGonagall said, smiling as well. "How can he possibly not notice?"

"I've been asking that myself since the day they were born. Remus says that now that we're here he'll notice and..." Florence paused. "I just fear that he'll hate me."

"I don't think he'll hate you. But he'll be pretty mad at you at first, of that you can be sure." McGonagall looked at her, her eyes serious. "Why did you hide them from him?"

"I have my reasons."

McGonagall nodded slowly and put her tea cup on the small table, staring at Florence intensely.

"You know, Florence, I have some doubts... about you. You remind me of a Slyhterin boy that I met here in the castle, many years ago, when I myself was a student here. He was a powerful young man who let himself be corrupted by that power and now he's better-known as... You-Know-Who."

"First of all, Dumbledore knows everything about me." Florence hesitated but resumed speaking. "And second, I think you shouldn't ignore what your gut's been telling you."

McGonagall understood and stared at her a bit shocked.

"That's so absurd."

"But it is the truth." said Florence. "It's also pretty ironic, don't you think? The Dark Lord's daughter has a relationship, or had one, with his most valuable Death Eater."

"You know, you do look a lot like your father. Am I right to believe that Severus doesn't know it?"

"Yes. He doesn't know who my father is. I've never told him. And that was the biggest reason why I've hidden the boys all these years . I feared what my father would have done with my kids or with Severus if he had known..."

"But now the war is over, dear."

"We both know that's not the truth, Professor McGonagall. My father will come back and Severus will be Dumbledore's spy once more. If I told him the truth, I'd be exposing my children. I can't do that."

"I don't mean to pry, my dear, but Remus is right. Severus will find out the truth with you living here so close to him. James looks like a miniature version of him!"

"I hope you're both wrong, professor." Florence got up and took her coat from the back of her chair. "I must go now. Thanks for the tea." and she left the room.


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter Thirty-nine**

**Harder Than Expected**

Snape fell asleep on his armchair that night. A bottle of firewhisky by his feet on the floor and his thoughts lost somewhere around the third floor.

* * *

The next morning, once he woke up, his mood couldn't be any worse. He took a shower and walked to the Great Hall to have breakfast. Florence didn't show up for breakfast that first day.

* * *

Florence had had breakfast with her kids and Remus in her living room, after that she kissed her kids good bye and wished them a good day before going to the dungeons.

* * *

When she got there Snape hadn't returned from breakfast yet. So Florence let herself in and started to prepare some things that Pomfrey had asked for the Hospital Wing: Bruise-healing paste, Calming Draught and a Blood-Replenishing Potion – such information she had found written in a piece of paper on his desk.

Thirty minutes had passed by and now she had to wait for the paste to cool down so she could bottle it. The other two potions would take a few more hours of boiling and stirring to be ready.

Florence walked around the room, finding one door that led to Snape's private quarters and another door that led to a small library, full of books and magazines. She took one book and sat on the armchair in front of the lit fireplace in his living room. She didn't notice when he arrived.

"I see you let yourself in. Feeling comfortable enough?" he said in a hard tone.

"I'm sorry, Professor Snape." she got up quickly and put the book back on its shelf. "It was not my intention to invade your space I just…"

"Don't get in here without an invitation again. I'm being forced to accept you as my assistant, I don't have to accept your presence in my private quarters."

"I'll do my best to make this obnoxious situation the less insufferable as possible for both of us." she said while walking back into his laboratory. "But being a bit less sour wouldn't do you any harm, Severus." she said as she reached the table where the potions were. "I came here to help you, not to be mistreated."

He said nothing else.

"Where can I find bottles and corks?" she asked after a while.

"Inside that cabinet." he said from his desk, where he was grading papers.

"Thank you, Professor."

* * *

This was happening to be much worse than he had originally thought. Her perfume was all around his laboratory. Even the clothes she was wearing were a bit too much for him. She was wearing a simple pair of jeans and a white long-sleeved shirt. But those pants hugged her ass so tightly (or was it his imagination?) and that shirt was just a bit transparent allowing him to see her bra under it - her white laced bra. She was so focused on preparing the concoctions that he could stare at her all day; and how gorgeous she was when concentrated like that - her eyes never left the worktable, her hands always moving, measuring, stirring.

"I'm finishing the Calming Draught," she said. "Could you please help me with the Blood-Replenishing Potion? It has to be stirred…"

He ignored her.

Florence sighed and with a flick of her wand she froze the Blood-Replenishing Potion. She kept on working, trying to understand why he was being such a brat.

* * *

**In the evening**

Snape took one of the hundreds of essays that he had yet to grade and started to read it. He'd read it three times but couldn't remember one single word.

"Can you try to be quiet?" he growled.

"I'm almost done, Severus. I'll be out of here in a few minutes."

"It's professor Snape, Miss Delacour."

She looked at him for a while, confused. She could understand that he wasn't happy to have her there but she couldn't comprehend his attitude.

"All right. _Professor Snape_, could you please help me since you're not making any progress with those essays? I need some more bottles and corks. And a clean sieve, please."

He said nothing. He just got up and walked to the cabinet to grab what she had asked. He walked toward her and stopped beside her. Too close. He shouldn't have done that. He could feel the power of her _Veela_ blood calling to him. Strong. It had been months since they last were that close. Florence felt it too. Suddenly she felt hot, sweat began to form on her forehead and hands. He was too close.

Snape dropped the sieve on the table and walked back to his desk, in silence.

Florence didn't ask for his help again.

* * *

Florence woke up many times during that night. Now it was 4:15 a.m., she had dreamed about him. About a night four years ago. The night they had made the twins. She couldn't go back to sleep. She got up and walked to the kids' bedroom. She spent the rest of the night there, watching them sleep, their father dominating her thoughts.

* * *

To Snape it wasn't very different. All those times they had made love in the Room Of Requirement decided to appear to him on his dreams that night. Her body melting against his; she riding him, moaning, her delicious body covered in sweat, her head thrown back, his name leaving her lips as a song, begging for more.

He got up and left his bedroom. He went to the laboratory to resume grading those endless essays. But as he opened the lab door, her perfume hit him. She'd spent the whole day in that room, of course her perfume was in there. He wanted to punch himself. He went to the worktable and started some Pepperup Potion. At least that way the fumes would hide her perfume and he would be able to focus on those essays once more.

* * *

"Rough night?" asked Remus as he walked into her private quarters the next morning.

"How do you know?" Florence asked sipping her coffee.

"I saw you on the map."

"I thought Filch had the Marauders' Map." she said, confused.

"There were two copies, remember? Filch has one copy, I have the other." he showed it to her. "If it's any consolation, Severus didn't sleep either. He walked around his room and spent the night working in his lab." Remus sat at the table. "How was it yesterday?"

"Terrible. We almost fought and when he got too close to me, my body just..."

"TMI!" interrupted Remus. Florence smiled, sadly. "But you knew this could happen." he said. "And you know what will be the result of all this time that you're spending here, don't you?"

"Don't remind me."

"He'll find out the truth and then you'll begin to have real problems." Remus said.

"I'm so screwed." she closed her eyes for a moment. "This is going to end so bad."

"Yep. I really can't see how marrying Severus could be considered a happy ending." joked Remus.

Florence chuckled and threw a muffin at him.


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter Forty**

**Remus's Invitation**

Florence and her kids had been in the castle for a week already. McGonagall, Pomfrey and all the other teachers were crazy about the twins and the boys were having a lot of fun. Unfortunately, Florence couldn't say the same. Every day she went down to the dungeons and they spent the whole day in silence. She prepared the requested potions while Snape graded some papers. Sometimes he helped her make the potions, other times she could beg him for help but he would just ignore her.

At night, Florence returned to her private quarters, where she was always greeted by two miniatures of the annoying creature that had ignored her during the entire day. And her favorite time of the day was the moment she sat down on the couch to listen to her sons talking about all the adventures they'd had that day.

But after the twins had fallen asleep, Florence found herself alone in bed. And she couldn't stop thinking about Snape.

That happened every day.

But one night she decided to go back to the laboratory. She would accomplish nothing tossing and turning in her bed all night. So she got up, put some clothes on, called Remus and, as soon as her friend had arrived at her quarters, she left.

* * *

**4 a.m.**

Snape could hear her moving around in his lab. She was hardly making any noise but he knew she was in there.

He forced himself to stay in bed. He wouldn't go out there, not even to insult her. He really had been exaggerating on the insults on the last two days.

* * *

**6 a.m.**

He hadn't closed his eyes since the moment she had got to his lab, so he decided to get up. He got dressed slowly and walked into his laboratory. By his desk there was a small table with breakfast on it.

"Good morning." he grumbled.

"Morning, professor." Florence replied. "I ordered some breakfast. Help yourself. I've already eaten."

Snape looked at the small table - she had ordered all the things he loved. Few people in the world knew that he had a sweet tooth - Florence was one of those people. He sat down by the table and began to eat.

He ate in silence, not even thanking her for ordering his favorite pastries. But she didn't mind, she wasn't really expecting any kind of gratitude from him.

After eating, he went to his desk; back to the hundreds of essays that were there waiting for him. But he couldn't focus. _What a surprise._ He knew he should thank her for the breakfast but he also knew if he did that, he could begin a conversation that would be really awkward. To avoid that, he said nothing. He picked up an essay, then another… but, from time to time, he couldn't stop his eyes from traveling up and down her body - the tight jeans, the pink sweater, her long hair a messy bun on the back of her head. She was so gorgeous._ Damn it! I should be working._ He thought, annoyed with himself. _I've just lost ten minutes! _He had to stop doing that. Every time his eyes focused on her he could feel the power of The Enchantment calling him to her, the magic of her _Veela_ blood only making the desire worse.

* * *

Florence could feel every time his eyes fell on her; her body would warm up and the power of The Enchantment tried to force her to look at him.

* * *

Three hours had passed by since he had woken up. Florence finished cleaning up the worktable and turned to face him.

"This is the last batch of Burn-healing paste. It has to boil for another two hours, before adding the last ingredient and…"

"Do I have to remind you who the Potions Master in this room is?" Snape interrupted rudely.

"No, sir." she replied, sighing sadly. "There's no need for that." Snape knew how much that comment had hurt her; he knew she had always wanted to go to college to study potions and that she had never gone because of the twins. "I'll spend the next two hours with my sons." she continued. "If you need anything, call me." she grabbed her coat and walked to the door.

"Dumbledore mentioned that the twins are registered Animagi already. Is it true?" Snape asked when she was near the door.

Florence turned around to look at him.

"Yes, it is true. They are extremely gifted young wizards." she was looking at him but she didn't walk toward him - she really didn't want to talk to him about the twins.

Snape noticed she was nervous.

"Is there a problem?" he asked.

"None at all. I just don't want to talk about my kids with you. You'll probably end up insulting me or Sirius."

"Oh, I'm sorry." he said sarcastically. "I forgot how much you love the Gryffindors now. First Black, now Lupin."

"And there it is." she said turning around and opening the door. "Bye, Severus. See you in two hours."

"What happened to us?" he asked softly as she was leaving.

Florence quickly turned around to face him again.

"What did you say?" she asked confused.

"Now, that the war is finally over, we could be together. What happened to us? Why aren't we together?" he asked without looking at her.

"We can't be together. I must look after my kids now. And we know the war is not really over yet."

"I would help you raise the mutt's puppies." he murmured angrily.

"Enough!" she shouted. "Don't _ever_ talk like that about my kids again! They are not _puppies_, they're brilliant boys, and they mean the world to me!" she paused. "I warned you, Severus. I told you there would be no forgiveness."

He just looked at her, his eyes hard and angry.

"It would probably be really shameful to leave the pure-blood Black for a half-blood nobody."

"Shut up!" she screamed, angrily. "You have no idea what you're talking about! And you know what?" she pointed at the worktable. "Finish those pastes yourself, I won't be coming back here until tomorrow." she left the lab, slamming the door behind her.

Only when she was near the third floor she allowed the tears to fall. But she wiped them away before entering her quarters.

Remus and the twins were on the rug in the living room. Some toys were floating around them.

"What's going on here?" she asked, closing the door and forcing a smile.

"Mommy!" the twins exclaimed when they saw her, running to hug her - and all the floating toys fell on Remus' head.

"Thankgoodness these toys are made of plush." said Remus, laughing.

"I thought you three would be already in Hogsmead by now." she said.

"We'll be leaving soon." said Remus. "Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" he noticed her sad eyes.

"I'm taking the day off, Remus..."she said sitting on the rug with her children beside her. "You three go, have lunch at McDonald's and when you come back we can play whatever games you two want, ok?"

"Yes!" the twins said together.

* * *

Florence had lunch in the Great Hall. Snape wasn't there when she arrived.

"What happened to our Potions Master, Florence?" asked Dumbledore.

"I have no idea, Headmaster. I sincerely hope he has drowned himself in one of his concoctions."

Pomfrey laughed. Dumbledore tried hard not to. McGonagall almost chocked on her pumpkin juice.

"What did he do this time?" asked Dumbledore.

"Nothing of your concern, Headmaster. We just had a little misunderstanding."

The side door opened and Snape walked into the Great Hall.

"Speaking of the devil." Florence murmured. All chairs were occupied so Florence got up. "You can sit here, Prof. Snape. I've already finished." and she left the Great Hall.

He growled a "Thank you."

Dumbledore just looked at their interaction, a smile on his face.

* * *

Florence napped for a while after lunch and then went for a walk. She was walking by the lake when Filch came running toward her and said that Remus had asked him to tell her that he was at Hagrid's with the twins. She thanked him, petted Mrs. Norris and walked to Hagrid's cabin. She knocked and waited.

"Hello! Come on in, Florence." greeted the half giant. "It's really cold out there. Do you want some tea?"

"Yes, please." she sat on a big armchair, the twins going to sit by her side. "And these two, are they bothering you much?" she asked playfully.

"Nope! They are so clever!" said Hagrid. "They told me that… they know who their father is."

"Boys, you shouldn't have." Florence said to the twins.

"We know but…" started James.

"Hagrid was looking at us and the question was written on his face." continued Nicholas.

"So we told him." finished James.

"Ok. Ok." she conceded. "But tell me, what did you two do this afternoon?" she asked them.

"We had lunch at McDonald's." began Nicholas.

"Then we bought lots of candies at Honeyducks." said James.

"Honeydukes, Jamie." Florence corrected him, chuckling.

"We went to Zonko's too!" exclaimed Nicholas.

"That store is awesome!" said James.

"They love that store…" said Remus. "They wanted everything. But I didn't let them get anything. You two are still too young for most of those things."

"Then we came here and played with Buckbeak!" said Nicholas excitedly.

"Who is Buckbeak?" Florence asked Hagrid.

"My hippogriff! He's just a baby, ya see. I keep him close to the house so I can look after him. I fear the centaurs might hurt him."

"Ok. I see you two have had enough fun for the day." Florence said looking at her sons.

"No!" they both complained.

"I want to play more with Beaky!" said James.

"Of course you want." said Florence. "And you will, but not today. It's getting really cold outside. We must go to the castle." she stood up and Nicholas followed her. James had crossed his arms over his chest and put on a grumpy face as he usually did when he was told _no_. "Come on, James. You know I don't like it when you are stubborn." Florence said.

"I want to stay and play with Beaky." the boy said.

"But you won't." Florence said firmly.

James didn't get up or uncrossed his arms.

Florence sighed and took him in her arms.

"Sorry for that, Hagrid." she said.

"No problem." Hagrid was trying hard not to laugh. "It was really funny!"

"Now we have to find a way to get into the castle without Severus seeing him." said Remus.

Florence was thinking just that. If Snape saw James and his grumpy face, the man would know right then and there that Florence had been lying about the boys' father.

They walked to the castle as quickly as the terrain allowed.

Luckily they didn't meet anyone on their way to the third floor. Florence walked into her living room and put grumpy James on the sofa. She sat beside him.

"Don't do this to me, Jamie." she said. "You'll play with Buckbeak tomorrow. You know soon it will be too cold outside. Stop being so stubborn, love."

The little boy looked at his mother and then he hugged her, tears falling down his face.

"Sorry for upsetting you, mommy." he murmured.

"It's ok, honey." she kissed his black hair, hugging him back. Soon Nicholas joined their hug and it didn't take long for James to stop crying.

Florence looked at her sons and touched James's hair.

"It's time to get a haircut, don't you two think?" she asked.

"No!" both boys exclaimed, their hands going to their heads, as if protecting their hair. "Dad has long hair." said James.

"We want to have long hair too." said Nicholas.

Florence just stared at them. Then she looked at Remus as if asking for help. Her friend just shook his head. There was nothing they could do. The boys loved their father.

"Fine. You can stop protecting your heads now. I won't make you get a haircut if you don't want to." the boys lowered their arms. "Let's play Monopoly?"

"Let's!" they screamed.

And the four of them spent the rest of the day playing that muggle boardgame.

* * *

**The next day**

Florence and the kids slept until 10 a.m.. Then they went for a walk and she took them to Hagrid's to play with Buckbeak. They spent most part of the day there.

* * *

It was past 4 p.m. when Florence finally walked into the dungeons. The boys were taking a nap and Remus was looking after them.

She walked into the potions laboratory and Snape was there on his desk, grading papers as usual.

"Should I remind you that you're not here on vacation, Miss Delacour?" he said as she walked in.

"No, Prof. Snape. I know I'm here as your assistant, as required by Prof. Dumbledore. If I were here on vacation I wouldn't get anywhere near your precious lab. Or you." she began to prepare the potions scheduled for that day.

He didn't reply.

* * *

**6 p.m.**

After she had bottled up all the potions and cleaned all the cauldrons, Florence saw herself with nothing else to do.

"Do you want some help with those essays, Prof. Snape?" she offered, bracing herself for the insults that were probably about to come. But he ignored her. "Ok. Good night, then, professor." she walked to the door.

"Yes." he answered suddenly. "Stay and help me. Please."

Florence grabbed a chair and sat at his desk, in front of him.

"Start with those." he pointed a big pile. "They are about the Draught Of Living Death… the sixth years wrote them. They had to talk about the ingredients, mentioning them in the correct order; they also had to explain the reason why each of them is used and what the wrong portion of each would cause in the final result. And, as none of the students were able to prepare a decent Draught, they also had to explain in the end of the essay what they did wrong."

"Ok…" she took the first essay and began reading it.

A few minutes later, Snape dropped his quill on the desk and threw his head back, stretching his neck. He touched his shoulders, then his forehead; clearly exhausted.

"You look tired." Florence said staring at him; he looked so vulnerable like that, she wanted to hug and kiss him.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked rudely. "Want to be dismissed? You offered to help me grade these."

She sighed. _Always so warm and friendly, Sev._ She thought sarcastically.

"I'm not one of you students, Severus." she said, emphasizing his name. "You can't put me on detention or throw me out of the castle."

He didn't reply.

* * *

**7 p.m.**

Someone knocked on the door.

"Come in." said Snape.

The door was opened and Remus walked in.

"Do I interrupt anything?" he asked.

"No." Florence answered.

"Yes." said Snape at the same time.

"Well, I came here to invite you to go with me for a walk in Hogsmeade after dinner tonight, Florence. The village must be gorgeous with all this snow."

"Sure." she answered thinking how weird it was that he had gone there to ask her out in front of Snape. That looked like it had Dumbledore's fingerprints all over it. "I'll ask McGonagall to look after the boys."

"I already did." Remus said. "I knew you would accept my invitation."

"Ok. See you later, then." she smiled.

"Bye, Severus." and Remus left, closing the door behind him.

They kept on working in silence. Snape looked at Florence and saw that she had a small smile on her lips. She was happy to go out with the damn werewolf! He wanted to take her into his bedroom and show her whom she truly belonged to.

Florence knew Snape was fuming with anger. She looked at his face; he was staring at the paper in front of him, writing down a big red T on the right corner. He looked moody, angry - like a kid that had his favorite candy denied. _He looks just like Jamie._ She thought, smiling sadly.

* * *

**Later in the Great Hall**

Dinner was as great as ever. Remus was smiling, Florence was smiling too. Snape was frowning as usual.

"I see a lot of smiles tonight." said Dumbledore.

"We're going to Hogsmeade after dinner, Headmaster." said Florence.

"Oh, yes. The village must be beautiful tonight." Dumbledore said looking at Remus and then at Snape. It was clear who would be taking Florence out for a romantic night in Hogsmeade.

* * *

**In Hogsmeade**

The village was really beautiful; all covered in white, the Christmas lights sparkling beautifully.

Florence and Remus were walking side by side down the almost empty streets.

"It's so beautiful…" said Florence.

"Yes, it is…" sighed Remus.

"What's wrong, Remy?" she asked even though she knew the answer.

"Nothing is wrong, Flor…" he paused and shook his head. "Just forget it. Let's go into the Three Broomsticks?"

"Well, seeing that's the only thing open at this time of night… let's."

* * *

**In Hogwarts**

Snape couldn't stay a minute longer inside those dungeons. His mind was picturing the two of them together… _his_ Florence with Remus Lupin. The damn werewolf touching what was _his_! He threw the lamp that was on his desk to the floor.

He made a decision; he took a quick shower, dressed up in some good clothes and went to the Three Broomsticks. If Florence could have fun with the damn werewolf, he could have some fun as well.

* * *

**All the while, in Florence's private quarters**

McGonagall was reading some muggle magazines while the boys played on the rug. Suddenly, all the sounds stopped and she put the magazine down hoping that the twins had fallen asleep. No. Both boys were looking at her.

"What's wrong, boys?" she asked.

"What's dad like?" asked James.

McGonagall hesitated.

"We know who he is, professor…" said Nicholas. "Mom's told us about him."

"But we want to know what's he like… is he nice? Is he cool?" asked James.

"Well, boys, Severus is…" McGonagall hesitated again. What on earth could she possibly tell them? _Your father is a very intelligent man, he's brilliant - but he's an insufferable git._ No. She couldn't tell them that their dad was a big pain in the ass. She could see how much they loved and admired him. "What has your mom already told you about him?"

"Mom said he works for The Order as a spy…" said James.

"And that he's a Potions Master." said Nicholas.

"Well, your dad is a great man, boys. He's very clever, brave, and incredibly stubborn too. Sometimes he takes big risks during missions, if he sees more lives can be saved…"

"Mom has already told us that dad's a hero." said James, his eyes shining with admiration.

McGonagall smiled. _Florence did the right thing, the boys love him and he doesn't even know they're his children._

"You know that he has no idea you are his sons, don't you?" McGonagall asked.

"Yes, we know." they said together.

"But mom said she'll talk to him and one day he'll know…" said James.

"And then he'll live with us in Hogsmeade." said Nicholas.

"I'm certain that will happen someday, boys." McGonagall said, not sure if she believed her own words. "But now it's time for you two to go to bed. Let's go brush your teeth and then I'll read you a story."


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter Forty-one**

**Every action leads to a reaction**

**In the Three Broomsticks**

Remus and Florence sat at a table by the window, far away from the counter where Rosmerta would possibly be.

"That's weird." said Remus.

"What's weird?" asked Florence.

"Rosmerta is nowhere to be seen..." he called the waiter. "Where's Madam Rosmerta?"

"She's over there with a... special costumer." answered the waiter.

Remus looked at where the waiter had pointed, somewhere behind Florence, and quickly looked back at her saying:

"We better leave."

"Why?" Florence asked.

"Trust me, don't look back. You won't like what you'll see."

Florence ignored her friend's advice and turned around.

"Severus…" he was there with Rosmerta on his lap, an empty glass in front of him beside a bottle of firewhiskey.

"He's drunk, Florence." Remus tried to justify Snape's actions. "Let's go, please."

"No. He's here on purpose, Remus. He knew we would come here and he came to provoke me." she took a deep breath. "Let's enjoy our night. Just ignore him." she said that last part more to herself than to Remus.

"He really is drunk." said Remus. "I can see the bottle seal on his table, I think he has drunk half of that bottle of firewhiskey by himself." Remus looked at Florence. "I'm sorry for not telling you he is dating her again."

"They're dating?" she asked, her heart beating faster.

"McGonagall told me he has been coming here at least twice a week."

"Hm…" Florence sighed sadly. "I'll go to the restroom. Order another glass of wine for me, please."

* * *

The door to the ladies' room was near the table where Snape and Rosmerta were. But Florence didn't look at them, she went straight into the restroom.

* * *

Snape watched her every move. The way that dress hugged her body, the tips of her long curly hair nearly touching the swell of her ass.

"Severus." Rosmerta called his name noticing that something other than her had caught his attention. She looked at where he was looking. "Florence." she said the name as if it was a curse. "What is she doing here at this hour?"

"She's here with Lupin." Snape murmured, drinking another shot of firewhiskey.

"She's dating him?"

"No. They're just friends. Very close friends." he growled.

* * *

Florence left the restroom and came towards their table.

"Good night, Rosmerta. Severus." Florence said.

"It's a good night, indeed." answered Rosmerta, smiling. "How are your children?"

"Great, thanks for asking. They've just completed three years old last October third. We had a small party at McDonald's. But if you'll excuse me I must go back to my table." and Florence walked back to the table where Remus waited for her.

"Are you sure they're not together, Severus?" Rosmerta asked while she watched Florence talking to Remus. "It's nearly midnight now. She has a house here in Hogsmeade. Don't you think that's where they'll probably go after they leave here? And look how Remus stares at her; he clearly desires her."

Snape watched closely the way Remus looked at Florence and touched her hands. Rosmerta was right. The werewolf was in love with Florence. The green-eyed monster roared in his chest and he got up and pushed Rosmerta against the nearest wall, kissing her violently. He wanted Florence to hurt just as much as he was hurting.

* * *

"Let's go, Flor." Remus said suddenly. "Now." he put three galleons on the table and got up, taking her coat.

"But why?" she was confused but she got up and put her coat on.

"Don't ask me anything. Just walk to the door and don't look back."

She obeyed but, as they were leaving Florence remembered something:

"My purse! I forgot it." she turned around to go back to their table to get it and then she saw it: Snape was almost fucking Rosmerta against the far wall. "Accio purse." she murmured and her purse came towards her.

Remus grabbed her hand and they went outside.

Florence didn't say a word as they walked to the castle. She was trying not to cry. She didn't want to go back to the castle, she just wanted to find a dark corner and lick her wounds. She was dizzy, so strong was the pain she was feeling.

"Remus… I think…" she tripped and almost fell, he held her up.

" What's wrong with you, Flor?" he asked although he knew the answer. _The Enchantment is making his betrayal hurt her physically._

"I think I'll…" and she passed out.

Remus got her in his arms before she could hit the snow-covered ground and Disapparated to the castle's gates. He sent Hagrid a Patronus calling for help. A few minutes after they'd got there, Hagrid arrived with a carriage.

"What happened to her?" asked Hagrid, helping Remus to put Florence inside the carriage.

"Snape happened." Remus was furious. "I wish I could punch him and break his huge nose. He's such an asshole!"

"Did he attack her?" asked Hagrid, worried.

"Sort of." murmured Remus.

* * *

Snape saw when Remus and Florence left the Three Broomsticks. Once the door closed behind them, he let Rosmerta go. Without saying a word, he dropped ten galleons on the table, grabbed his coat and left the pub. He almost fell down on the snow covered streets. _I'm too drunk._ He sat on a rock and grabbed a vial of the No-Hangover Potion inside his coat pocket. He drank it all and waited. In a few minutes he was feeling better. He decided to walk to the castle's gates. The cold wind would hurt him and perhaps the it would help him deal with the pain he felt inside. Why had he done that? Why had he deliberately hurt Florence like that? Florence wasn't kissing Lupin; the werewolf was only holding her hand. Snape growled. That had been enough to make him want to kill the stupid werewolf. _Florence's mine, he shouldn't be touching her in any way._

As he walked, his mind was getting clearer. And Florence's words finally reached his brain:

"They've just completed three years old, last October third." he repeated out loud. "They were born October third, 1978." and he thought about the boys' dark straight hair, James' dark eyes… and then he remembered one night… _January 9th, my birthday. I got home and she was there in my mother's house, in my bedroom…_

* * *

Remus carried Florence into her private quarters. McGonagall was still there.

"What happened to her?" she asked.

"Nothing serious. Help me put her on the bed, please."

They walked into Florence's bedroom.

"Where are the boys?" asked Remus, laying Florence down on the bed.

"They're sleeping. You can leave the room now, Remus, I'll help her out of these clothes and dress her in something comfortable." Remus nodded and left the room. "What happened to you, child?" McGonagall murmured. "Enervate." Florence woke up, scared. "It's ok, dear." said McGonagall. "You're in the castle. Everything's fine."

"Wh-what happened?" Florence asked, sitting up.

"I think only you can answer that."

Then Florence remembered, and tears pooled in her eyes.

"Nothing serious, professor… I just… got really nervous and fainted."

"What did Severus do this time?" McGonagall asked, understanding what Florence wasn't saying.

"It's always him, isn't it?" Florence asked smiling sadly. "It was nothing for you to worry about."

"Are you sure you're ok, dear?"

"Yes. Thank you for looking after the boys, Prof. McGonagall."

"It was my pleasure, dear. I'll go to my own room now. Good night."

"Night."

And Florence was alone in her bedroom. But not for long, soon Remus walked in.

"I'm sorry for ruining our night out, Remy." she said.

"You didn't ruin anything, Flor. He did." Remus kissed her forehead. "Good night." and he walked to the door.

"Remus." she called him. He turned around to face her. "If I could choose… if I could change my feelings… I'd have chosen you. I'm sorry."

Remus smiled.

"Don't apologize; it's not your fault." and he left.

* * *

Snape opened the gates himself and walked to castle, going to the dungeons. There, he drank a small vial of Dreamless Sleeping Draught - he didn't want to dream, he just needed to rest. His mind was confused. He took his coat off and fell on the bed, quickly falling asleep.

* * *

**8 a.m.**

Snape woke up and thanked Merlin it was Saturday. He got up, took a shower and brushed his teeth twice to try and get rid of the bitter taste he had in his month for drinking too much the night before. He drank one more vial of No-Hangover Potion and went to the Great Hall to have breakfast.

Dumbledore was still there. Everybody was still there. Only Florence wasn't. It was as if they had been waiting for him. He sat down on his usual chair beside Dumbledore.

"Severus, were you in the Three Broomsticks last night?"

"Yes. Why?" he thought that question was weird. He had never given explanations of his personal life at the breakfast table before.

"Could you explain to us what happened to Florence, then?" asked Dumbledore.

"I saw her there with Lupin. And when they left she looked perfectly fine from where I was standing."

"But something happened!" exclaimed McGonagall. "Remus had to carry her all the way from Hogsmeade to her private quarters last night!"

"Really?" Snape played dumb. "Well, if anyone knows what happened to her it's Lupin. I know nothing."

"I've said it before and I'll repeat it: if anyone here can explain what happened last night that person is Severus!" said Remus.

Snape put his fork down and looked at Remus.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. When you two left, she looked fine, she was even walking with her own two legs."

Remus stared at Snape furiously and got up, leaving the Great Hall.

* * *

**10 a.m.**

Snape was waiting for Florence to show up. He was pacing around his lab. _Why hasn't she shown up yet? _He decided to go looking for her.

He walked to the third floor and as he was getting near her door he saw Remus Lupin walking out.

" What do you want here, _Snivellus_?" growled Remus.

" What's the problem with you, _wolf_?" asked Snape.

"So you're playing dumb today, eh?"

"I have no idea what you're trying to accuse me of!"

"I had to carry Florence here all the way from Hogsmeade last night. She had fainted... _apparently_ the Enchantment made her faint. Do you have any idea now, Snape?"

"I won't talk about my private life with you." said Snape trying to pass by Remus and enter Florence's quarters.

"You're not getting in here." Remus said, blocking the door.

"We all have responsibilities in this castle, Lupin. And I won't discuss that with you."

Remus blocked him again.

"Do you know what she told me last night?" Remus said.

"No, I don't. But I'm afraid you'll tell me." said Snape disdainfully.

"She said that if she could choose, she'd pick me."

Snape took his wand out and put it on Remus' neck.

"Shut up, you stupid werewolf!" he growled.

" I pity you, Severus." Remus said. "You could have everything any man wishes for, only you're too stubborn, too stupid! Instead of taking her, supporting her, you push her away. You could have _everything_." it was clear that Remus was trying to say something.

" What are you talking about?" Snape shouted, his thoughts going back to her words from the previous night: _They completed three years old. October third, 1978._

"Nothing!" shouted Remus. "If a man as clever as you can't see it, who am I to try and explain it to you?" Remus opened the door again and walked back into Florence's living room.

Snape stayed in the corridor for a while, thinking. Then he touched his wand to the door and it opened. Those were the Head of the Slytherin House's quarters after all.

* * *

Florence was sitting with her kids on the rug in front of the fireplace. Remus entered and sat on the couch.

"What happened in the hallway?" she asked.

"Did you and dad fight?" asked James softly.

"No, Jamie… we didn't fight we just…" began Remus.

"What a touching scene!" exclaimed Snape entering the room and slamming the door behind him. "What a beautiful family picture you make." he said sarcastically.

The boys stood up on the couch, looking at Snape. Remus got up from the couch and walked towards him.

"Remus…" Florence called. "The boys. No fighting in here, please."

"You shouldn't talk about what you don't know, Severus." Remus said.

Snape moved his hand towards his wand.

" Don't, please." Florence said. Snape looked at her and then at the boys. "You should leave, Severus." she asked. It was making her nervous the way he was staring at the kids. _What if he's already found out?_ "Leave, please." she asked again.

Snape looked at her one more time and left without saying a word.

* * *

Snape ran towards his dungeons.

He entered his private quarters and locked the door. He didn't care it was still early, he poured himself a glass of firewhiskey and sat in front of his fireplace.

" They have to be mine." he murmured. "They are three years old. If she got pregnant that night, then..." all he could think about was those two kids. James' dark eyes, their black straight hair. "The way I always feel calmer when I'm near them." his heart began to pound inside his chest. "I'll have to ask her. Why would she hide them from me for all these years? Why would she keep on hiding them?"

* * *

Snape drank one more glass of firewhiskey and fell asleep on his armchair. Once he woke up he looked at the time and saw it was night already. He got up and went to his lab, he had a lot of work to do.

* * *

After dinner, Dumbledore asked Remus to go to his office.

"I don't know what else to do, Remus." said the Headmaster. "I thought my plan would work. I thought that the moment you invited her out yesterday, he would stop her from going. I thought he would chain her to his bed or something."

Remus looked at Dumbledore for a moment.

"I, too, thought he would do something." Remus paused. "I hate him so much for making her suffer like this. You had to see him last night, Dumbledore. He was there on purpose, he knew we would be there. He almost fucked Rosmerta against the wall."

"He was jealous, Remus. Severus doesn't know how to deal with his feelings. He loves her, but as far as he knows Florence had children with Sirius, she could be dating you now."

"But that's not true. None of that is."

" But he doesn't know that. That's what he _thinks_. And he sees the way you look at her. You're in love with her. And that makes him even more jealous. When he compares himself to you he probably sees you winning."

"I'm a werewolf! He's perfectly healthy, how could I possibly win?"

"That's not how he thinks ."

"He is such a frustrating man!" Remus said furiously. "Anyway, I'm leaving tomorrow. I have to go home, the full moon is coming. I've already told Florence."

"Would you talk to him before you leave?"

"No. He'd probably kill me. He has to see the truth with his own eyes."

"And I dare say he has already seen it, Remus. Only, he doesn't believe his own eyes."

"He's so clever but sometimes he's really dumb." Remus got up. "I'll go now. Good night, Headmaster."

"Good night, Remus."

* * *

Snape couldn't sleep. He needed to know the truth. There was only one possible explanation and he wanted to hear it from her. _Florence has to be the one to tell me the truth. My mother probably knows it already... _But he wouldn't write to her. _They look too much like me. But could it be true? Could those two amazing kids be my children? _It was hard to believe.

He put on some clothes and ran to the third floor. With one touch of his wand the door opened. The living room was empty, he could see some of the children's toys on the rug. He walked to her room, the door was open. He could see her on the bed, reading a book. He stopped by the door, leaning against the wall. Florence saw him almost immediately.

"What are you doing here?" she shouted, getting up and quickly putting a robe on. "How do you keep getting in here?" she had her wand pointed at him.

"These are the rooms of the Head of the Slytherin House. So the door recognizes my magic. I am the Head of the Slytherin House after all." he didn't move away from the door.

" If you like these rooms so much, you can move in here!" she said. "We'll be leaving in two days. I'll talk to Dumbledore tomorrow."

"You're my assistant, I still need your assistance!"

"I couldn't care less." she said, passing by him and going to the front door.

But Snape held her before she could reach the middle of the living room. He pulled her towards him, holding her waist.

"Severus, don't ." she said, feeling her body grow warm from the inside out, her skin crying out for his touches.

" I'm sorry for last night." he murmured over her lips.

"It's none of my business who you fuck ." she tried to show she hadn't been affected by last night. But he knew it was a lie.

"I know you fainted."

" The Enchantment made me faint." she interrupted him. "But you probably don't care about that." she tried to push him aw ay and when he didn't let her go she cast: "Incendio" and his shirt was on fire. He let her go and quickly took his shirt off.

"Leave, Severus." she was standing by the open front door.

"I came here to talk to you about..." he began.

"It's too late now, Severus." she interrupted and pointed at the door. "Leave, please."

He looked at her then at what was left of his shirt and left.

Florence closed the door behind him and let the tears fall.

* * *

**In the next morning**

Florence hadn't liked the fact that Snape had wanted to talk to her the previous night. So she took the boys to Eileen's right after breakfast.

If Snape had already found out the truth, she didn't want the boys near to listen to their conversation. If he rejected the kids, she knew it would break the boys' hearts.

She talked to Eileen about her fears while the boys napped. Eileen told her to calm down and not think about the worst that could happen. But Florence was too nervous about Snape's reaction. She kissed the boys good bye and went back to Hogwarts.


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter Forty-two**

**The Truth Comes Out**

**Monday**

Florence had a quick breakfast alone in her private quarters and went down to the dungeons. The sooner she began the sooner she would finish.

* * *

He wasn't there yet when she arrived, so Florence began to work on the potions. A few minutes later, he showed up.

"Good morning, Florence."

"Good morning, Prof. Snape."

"I have classes this morning." he said. "I'll be gone most of the time..."

"I know that." she interrupted. "I'll finish these potions and take them to Madam Pomfrey. You have nothing to worry, professor."

He nodded and left the room.

* * *

They had lunch together in the Great Hall.

After lunch, Florence went back to his laboratory; Snape went back to teaching his classes.

* * *

That night, they had dinner together in the dungeons. An uncomfortable silence accompanied them during the entire night.

After dinner, Florence helped him grade the never-ending pile of essays.

"What is this?" she chuckled as she read the comments he had added to some essays. "Detention for your inability to absorb the given information." she read aloud and laughed. "This is so mean…"

"But it's the truth." he murmured.

Florence put the paper on the done-pile.

"Where are your children?" Snape asked, worried because he hadn't seen the boys since the day before.

"They're at your mother's." Florence said, quickly looking at him. "Remus went home because of the full moon and I can't take care of them and work here with you at the same time."

He didn't reply.

* * *

**1 a.m.**

Florence couldn't stop yawning.

"You're tired." Snape said. "Want to take a nap?"

She looked at him, not liking that question.

"I can't go to my room... I have to check those potions in three hours…" she said.

"You can use my room, if you want to rest." he offered. "And I'll wake you up in two and half hours."

"Ok." she decided to accept his offer, she was really tired.

Florence walked into his private quarters. His living room was a lot smaller than hers, but it was just as comfortable. His fireplace was bigger, though, and he had a small flower pot with Floo powder near it. She found his bedroom door and walked in. It smelled like him in there. She walked into his bathroom to wash her hands and face. But when she walked back into the bedroom, he was there.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, fearing the answer. "If you want to rest I can go to sleep in my own bedroom…"

"You. I want you." he said in a soft voice.

"We're co-workers, this... isn't proper. I better go." she said nervously, passing by him and trying to go to the door.

Snape stopped her by holding onto her arm. He slowly put both his hands on her waist, pulling her closer, her back against his chest, his half-hard cock near her ass.

Florence couldn't stop him. He was too close; his scent all over the room playing havoc on her self-control.

He touched his lips to her right ear.

"You're not just my co-worker, Florence. You're so much more…" he whispered. "You're mine. All mine."

"No…" she tried to deny it, but her body proved him right - she was pliant in his arms. He knew what his whispers were capable of doing to her; he knew he could make her come just by talking to her.

Snape turned her around, one of his hands going behind her neck, bringing her face closer to his. His other hand behind her back, keeping her close to his body. Then he kissed her lips, softly at first, but becoming gradually more urgent and possessive.

Florence's hands were fighting against his buttons. Snape ripped her shirt in two and took off his own. He took her in his arms and threw her on the bed. How many nights had the dreamed about that? Florence half naked on his bed once more; and he wouldn't let her run away from him then. He took his pants off and Florence did the same. He lay down on top of her, between her legs, kissing her lips again; biting and licking her neck, rubbing his underwear-covered cock between her legs. Florence moaned breathlessly. He took her bra off so only a pair of red panties was covering her delicious body. Then Snape rolled them over so that she was on top.

But Florence used that moment to escape him. She ran away from the bed. And he quickly got up and went after her.

"Stop!" she shouted, her back hitting a wall and both her hands glowing in his direction. "This is not right." she was gasping for air.

"I don't give a fuck if you think this is wrong." he growled, walking towards her. He slapped her hands down. "Do you have any idea how sexy you look right now, threatening me half naked? You could try to petrify me and it wouldn't work." he pressed her against the wall with his own body. His hands grabbed her ass and he hauled her up, her legs going automatically around his waist. His mouth on her breasts, licking, sucking and nipping her sensitive nipples, making her scream.

"We can't… oh, please, Sev…"

"I don't care what you're lips saying…" he growled. "This here proves me that you need me as much as I need you." one of his hands went down between her legs, pulling her panties to the side and touching her pussy. "You're dripping on my fingers."

Florence just moaned. He was right, she wanted him, she needed him. And _Oh, Merlin!_ she missed him so much.

He introduced two fingers inside her wet pussy as his tongue caressed her nipples. In seconds, she was screaming his name and riding his fingers.

"How can I believe that you don't want me?" he said looking at her face, she was almost coming so he stopped all touches. His hands only holding her waist.

"No! Don't stop! I want you, Sev. I need you." she was moaning and moving against his body. "Fuck me." she begged.

He walked back to the bed with her in his arms and dropped her in the middle of it. He quickly took his own underwear off. Florence stared at his dick hungrily. Snape lay down on top of her again, positioning himself at her entrance. He began to penetrate her, slowly.

Then they heard a knock on what seemed to be his living room door.

"Severus." it was Dumbledore calling him.

"Go away!" Snape shouted and put himself completely inside her.

Florence tried not to moan too loud, closing her eyes, feeling his cock buried deep inside her.

The Headmaster knocked again and spoke:

"It's important, Severus!"

"Go to hell, Albus!" Snape barked and began to move his hips, pounding into her.

Dumbledore stopped knocking.

Florence started to moan louder, her nails scratching Snape's back. He kissed her lips, swallowing her moans, feeling more alive than ever. He fucked her deep and slow, loving the way she screamed _harder, faster, deeper_. And then he delivered every one of her wishes.

Florence shouted his name as she came, her inner walls clenching around his painfully hard cock. And he thrust into her a few more times before spilling his seed deep inside her body. He kept his dick inside of her - he never wanted to leave her body.

The knocks on the living room door started again.

The gasping couple laughed.

"Someday, I'm going to kill him." murmured Snape.

Florence laughed harder.

"You better go see what he wants." she said.

Snape nodded and kissed her once more before letting his cock slip out of her. He got up, put on some clothes and left the bedroom.

Florence jumped out of the bed and put her clothes back on quickly. She fixed her ripped shirt, put it on and left the room.

Dumbledore and Snape were talking in the potions lab, so she left his living room through the main door and ran to the third floor before Snape had the chance to stop her.

* * *

Florence closed the door of her room and went to the bathroom. She filled up the bathtub and went in; the hot water embracing and relaxing her. She could still feel Snape's hands all over her body, his cock deep inside her. She could still hear his hoarse cries of pleasure… Florence allowed herself to dream about him and she dozed off inside the tub.

* * *

As soon as Dumbledore had left his lab, Snape went back to his own room only to discover that Florence had once more ran away from him. _No. Not this time. _He went to the third floor, entering her private quarters. He found her asleep in the bathtub, so he kneeled beside the tub and touched her face, kissing her neck.

She woke up.

"What are you doing here?" Florence asked softly.

"You didn't think I'd let you run away from me this time, did you?"

"We can't be together, Severus. Please understand that."

"I'm not going to understand anything. You've never agreed with the choices I made? Fine! _That_ I can understand; you always told me that, you warned me a hundred times! But what about now? The war is over - not permanently, I know that. But we shouldn't live apart from each other, waiting for the Lord to come back someday. We both know that when that happens I'll be a spy again and I'll probably die!"

"Don't say that…" she said.

"But it's the truth! I don't want to live what may be my last years away from you." he paused and looked into her eyes. "I don't want to live away from my children anymore."

It was as if a lightening had struck her. Florence looked at him and waited for him to say something else. He didn't.

"What did you say?" she asked in a soft voice.

"I feel like such an idiot. It took me three years to realize that they are mine and not Black's. But I finally did. I know now that they're _my_ children - those two incredible boys are mine." he had tears in his eyes. "It took me some days to come to terms with it, because it's so unbelievable. They are three years old and are registered Animagi! When could I ever have imagined that my children would be so powerful…"

Florence didn't say anything, she just stared at him for a while. She'd been so nervous about him finding out the truth**,** she had imagined all the worst case scenarios and that moment had finally arrived - and it was nothing she had ever imagined it would be.

"I just want to know why." Snape continued. "Why did you hide them from me all this time?"

"I couldn't tell you, Severus. My father, he… he couldn't… he can't know about the boys."

"Your _father_?" Snape asked, confused. "What does your father have to do with us?"

"Everything, Sev…" she sighed. "Let me get out of this tub and put on my pajamas." he nodded and handed her a towel. "Thanks. Call the kitchens and ask for some tea, please."

"Ok. And then we'll talk?" he asked.

"Yes. Then I'll explain everything to you."


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter Forty-three**

**Knowing The Truth**

Florence and Snape were sitting on the sofa in front of the fireplace. The tea had already arrived and she was sipping from her cup.

"Does my mother know?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes. She always knew. Actually, Eileen was the first person to know I was pregnant."

"Bring them back here." he said.

Florence put her tea cup on the table and looked at him.

"No." she said in a firm voice.

"I want them to know who their real father is."

"They already know." she said smiling. "I told them. And they love you so much. You're their hero. Why do you think they keep their hair long? I wanted to cut it short and they forbade me!"

Snape just looked at her, confused.

"You mentioned something earlier about your father... who is he? What does he have to do with all this?"

"My name is Florence Delacour Peverell."

"So you're Salazar Slytherin's descendant. That's pretty impressive, but it still doesn't explain much."

"Who is Slytherin's last known descendent?" she asked.

"It's..." and then he understood. "No. You must be joking!"

"No, I'm not joking, Sev. I am Lord Voldemort's daughter. I lived with him for most of my life. He trained me."

"How... how is that possible?"

" Long story short: my mom met him in Hogsmeade. She was French and _Veela_, she came to England to study English. They met and she fell in love. They were blessed by The Enchantment too. But my father loved power more than he ever loved her or me... when I was eight, my mom died and he decided to raise me because I was his daughter, after all, and I'd already shown my powers. He trained me and, when I was eleven, enrolled me to , as my mom had always wanted. But I got expelled. So I went to Durmstrang, as he had always wanted. Then one day I came to Hogsmeade and the rest you know."

Snape didn't say a word.

"Say something, please." she pleaded.

"I... I don't know what to say. Of all the possible explanations that one is... too crazy. But it makes a lot of sense. I remember the things you used to tell me. And that time you hid from Abraxas Malfoy and Avery... and the fact that you're clearly well trained. I just... I can't picture the Dark Lord taking care of you."

"Well, he was never a loving father. He never showed me any affection. He hugged me on my birthdays and that was all."

"How did you live with him knowing who he was?"

"That's the point: I never knew! To me he was just a very busy businessman. He had a lot of meetings and he had money. To me, he was some sort of company CEO or something. The moment I discovered who he really was I ran away. That was the day I came to Hogwarts. I told Dumbledore everything and he let me stay." she stared at the flames in the fireplace. "Then I met you. And I tried to warn you the best I could without telling you anything, but you became a Death Eater anyway." she closed her eyes, tear falling down her face. "I was so afraid, Severus. I feared you'd become a monster just like my father. When I found out I was pregnant, I couldn't tell you. I never cared about blood-status but my father obviously does. I feared he would kill you and force me to have an abortion... I just couldn't risk them."

"Did Black know?"

"Yes. He always knew the boys were your children. He knew about my father as well. James and Lily did too."

"And my mother?"

"Well, she knew my mom, they were best friends so, yes, she's always known about my father. She never told you because it wasn't her secret to tell. You can't blame her. She didn't tell you about the boys to protect them from my father. But she's always wanted to tell you the truth."

He stared at the flames. Florence looked at him.

"I feel so stupid right now." he finally said. "And I hate your father so much. I already hated him before, but now... I want him to come back so I can kill him." he looked at her. "We lost more than four years together... I could have been there for you and the boys. I wasn't by your side during your pregnancy. I didn't see the boys being born... or their first words. I lost so much."

Florence sat closer to him. He hugged her. They sat in silence for a while. Then he spoke:

"When you say he trained you... what do you mean?"

"I mean usual spells and… Unforgivables too. Cruciatus and Imperio don't affect me. And I can't die with one Killing Curse… only if it's directed straight to me. That night at the Potter's, I could've died… ironically, my father was the one responsible for my surviving."

"But the baby died…" he murmured.

"Don't think about that, Sev. I know you blame yourself."

"I thought I had killed my only chance of having a family with you that night. I thought the boys were Sirius' children and I was certain that baby was mine…" he sighed. "I'll always blame myself for that night, Florence. I was the one who told him about the Prophecy. And I told him about Alice and Lily being pregnant."

Florence didn't say anything. He was guilty. There was nothing to be said about that. She resumed talking about her training:

"Nagini's poison doesn't kill me either. He used to give me a tiny sip of her poison every day until the day he ordered her to attack me. As you can obviously see, I didn't die. I became immune to it."

Snape hugged her closer and kept on staring at the flames, thinking about everything he'd just heard. Florence fell asleep in his arms, her head on his chest. He picked her up and took her to bed. He lay down beside her, watching her sleep. That strong young woman was his. She was the mother of his kids. His heart was full of love and admiration for her. She'd lived through so many horrible things - he himself had made her suffer so much. _Not anymore. _He thought before holding her close and falling asleep with her head on his chest.

* * *

**In the next morning**

When Snape woke up Florence was setting up the breakfast table.

"Good morning." he said, hugging her from behind, kissing her neck.

"Morning, Sev." she turned around within his arms and they kissed slowly.

They had breakfast together and Snape left to go teach his first class of the day.

* * *

**Potions class**

The students were confused. Snape was… happy? He didn't take points from Gryffindor nor humiliated any Gryffindor students. Not even Nymphadora Tonks had heard one single word from the teacher. Once the class finished, everybody ran out as quickly as possible.

"Did you see that?" asked Tonks to her best friend.

"Yes. I was so scared. What happened to him? Why was he happy?"

"I have no idea."

Florence heard the girls' conversation and tried not to laugh. She waited until all the students had left and then she walked into his classroom, closing the door behind her.

"So I heard you were really weird today." she said, sitting on his desk.

"Hm… they noticed then." he said getting up from his chair. "I'll have to give some detentions next class." he stopped in front of her, between her legs. "But what brings you here, Miss Peverell?" he kissed her lips.

"Some tall dark-haired sexy teacher... do you know where he is?" she joked.

"I can take you into his private quarters if you wish." he said, kissing her neck.

"Yes, please, _professor_."

Snape took her in his arms, Florence locked her legs around his waist. He walked into his living room, closing the door behind him. He sat on his favorite armchair, in front of the fireplace, Florence straddling his lap.

"What made you decide to wear a skirt today?" he asked caressing her thighs.

"That teacher I told you about. I have a plan to make him fuck me today."

"What does that plan consist of?"

"Me wearing a skirt with no panties under it…" she whispered over his lips.

Snape's hands went under her skirt, checking if what she said was true. It was.

He took her sweater off over her head and opened her white laced bra, throwing it on the floor with the sweater.

"You're so sexy." he said staring at her body. He kissed her lips slowly, passionately, going to her neck, biting, going down to her breasts, licking and sucking one nipple then the other.

Florence made him stop and ripped his shirt apart, buttons flying everywhere. She attacked his neck, his chest, getting on her knees between his legs. She licked his navel and opened up his pants. She pulled his underwear to the side and freed his hard cock. She licked the head of his dick, tasting his pre-come, and slowly took him whole into her mouth. The head of his dick hitting the back of her throat. She sucked and licked all of his member as if it were the best treat in the world.

His hand went to her hair, controlling her moves. But the vision of her lips stretched around his dick like that was too much.

"Stop it!" he ordered pulling her hair.

Florence obeyed and got up, sitting back on his lap, straddling him, guiding his dick inside her body torturously slow. He grabbed her hips, and forced his member completely inside her. She moaned loudly. His mouth found her nipples again and he sucked on them while she rode his dick. Florence was babbling nonsenses. His dick touching deep inside of her, his lips on her sensitive nipples. It was too much, she came once, twice, and he never allowed her to stop moving. He stood up with her in his arms and took her to bed, never leaving her body. They fell on his bed, he on top of her, and he kept on fucking her. Sometimes he'd take his dick out of her body completely just to penetrate her again, hearing her moans of _deeper, more, faster, don't put it out!_ He held her hands over her head, fucking her harder. And when she closed around his dick for the third time, screaming, her head thrown back, his name falling from her lips like a mantra, only then he allowed himself to come too. He pounded into her and spilled his seed deep inside her body.

They fell asleep, lost in each other's body; not caring what time it was.

* * *

Snape woke up a few hours later and saw himself alone in the room. Florence wasn't there nor were her things. He checked the time and got up quickly. If he didn't run, he would be late for his first class of that afternoon.

* * *

After all his classes, Snape went looking for Florence. But she wasn't in her room. He went to Hagrid's hut. She wasn't there either. He walked back to the castle and went to Dumbledore's office.

"Hello, Severus. I must say I was expecting your visit."

"Can I ask you why?" asked Snape.

"Florence asked to leave the castle earlier."

"What?" Snape asked, confused.

"Did you two fight again?" Dumbledore asked.

"No! We were… we even…"

"You spent lunch together?" asked Dumbledore, clearly meaning more than only lunch.

"Yes! I'm not understanding anything, Headmaster."

"I presume she's told you everything."

"Yes. I know everything about the kids and about her father."

The Headmaster sighed.

"So I think she's trying to run away again, Severus. Will you let that happen?"

"No. I'll go after her right now."

* * *

**At the park in Godric's Hollow**

Florence and Remus were talking while the boys played on the slides. She was telling her friend everything that had happened in the last hours.

"So you told him everything and ran away?"

"Yes." she said.

"Why? He accepted the boys, he accepted who you are, he knows everything now... why are you running from him again?"

"You don't understand it, do you? It's too risky. I can't expose the boys. No one can know Severus is their father."

"Florence, anyone that knows Snape and takes one look at the boys will know who their father is." said Remus. Florence didn't reply. "He'll come after you, you know."

"He has to understand it is impossible for us to be together!"

"How will you avoid him this time?"

"I'll go to Durmstrang. I'll take a teaching position there and…"

"No, you won't." Snape said getting near them. "Hello, Lupin. Could you excuse us?"

"Sure." Remus got up and walked toward the twins - who had already seen their father was there.

"Why did you run?" Snape asked.

"I… I must protect my children, Severus."

"They're _our_ children. We'll protect them together." he said sitting beside her.

"That's the whole point! We can't be together!" she said furiously.

"We'll find a way to hide them. But I won't allow you to run away from me again. I want to be part of your life. I want to be near you and the kids."

Florence looked at the other people in the park.

"We shouldn't be having this conversation here… let's go to my house." she said.

"I'll meet you there." and he left the park, looking for a place to Disapparate.

Florence asked Remus to take the boys home in thirty minutes and she also went looking for a place to Disapparate.

* * *

As they walked into her house, two very clean elves appeared in the living room.

"Tiffany, Mel. Mr. Snape and I will talk in the library, and we don't want to be disturbed." Florence said.

"Sure, Mistress!" said both elves.

Florence led Snape into the library. As soon as she had closed the door, he pushed her against the wall.

"Never run away from me again!" he said attacking her lips, not allowing her to reply. "You're mine and I'll be by your side from now on. By this time next month, we'll be already married."

Florence tried to say something but once more he shut her up by kissing her lips, his tongue invading her mouth, swallowing whatever protest she was going to utter. He pulled her up and put his hands under her ass as she wrapped her legs around his waist .

"No." she said, but the small word sounded more like a moan than a protest.

He ripped her panties apart and tried to open up his own pants single handed. He managed to do it and took her lips again, deepening the kiss.

Florence was pliant against his body. She tried to open her legs wider, one of her hands going between them, trying to guide his hard member into her body. But then his mouth was on her breasts and she lost any coherent thought she may have had**;** with every pull of his lips, she could feel herself getting wetter, the growing need to have him deep inside of her body becoming unbearable.

"Severus…" she moaned. "Fuck me…"

He couldn't deny her that; he buried himself deep inside of her in one long sure thrust that had Florence gasping, her nails digging on his shoulders. They moved together, their hearts beating as one.

She could feel him moving deep inside her, stretching her, the friction and the long deep strokes driving her insane.

Her muscles clenched around his cock and he knew she was coming. She tightened around him and he had no choice but to follow her into orgasm, his seed spilling deep into her body.

Snape helped Florence put her legs down to the floor and he held her in his arms, both gasping for air. He kissed her lips softly. Her hands sliding over his chest, touching him slowly.

They heard some noises coming from the living room.

"They're here." Florence said. "Are you ready to meet your sons?"

And Snape smiled, visibly nervous.

* * *

They left the library after putting their clothes back on and straightening up their hairs.

Remus was sitting in the living room couch.

"Where are they?" Florence asked.

"They ran upstairs to take a shower." Remus answered. "They said they were too dirty to meet their dad." he smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "So you two will finally be together?"

"Yes, we'll be getting married soon." Snape said.

"I'm happy for you, Severus." Remus said, a sad smile on his face.

"I'll go up there to see if they're behaving and really taking a shower." Florence went upstairs.

She walked into the hallway bathroom but they weren't there. So she went to her bedroom, walking into her bathroom and finding them. Both boys were inside the shower stall, she had two shower heads so they were both showering. They weren't even talking, they were focused on getting clean as quickly as possible.

"If I knew your father's presence would make you two take a shower without any protest I'd have brought him here sooner." she said smiling.

The twins looked at each other and then at Florence – both boys had a serious expression on their faces.

"Is dad here to stay?" asked James.

"Will he live here now?" asked Nicholas.

"Well, boys, he teaches at Hogwarts, you know that. He'll probably have to stay there…"

"But he could spend the day there and come home at night." said James.

"Why don't you two talk to him about it?" she said. "I bet he'd come home every night if you asked him to."

Florence helped the boys finish their shower and get dressed. They walked downstairs, each boy holding one of her hands.

* * *

Snape got up from the couch when he saw them on the top of the stairs.

"They're gorgeous, aren't they?" said Remus.

"Yes. I still can't believe they're mine."

"One look at James and you start to believe. He looks so much like you it's uncanny."

Once they'd reached the last step of the staircase**, **the boys looked at their mother and she nodded. Then they ran towards Snape, who had kneeled down to hug them.

"Mom said you're here to stay…" James said.

"Is it true? You won't ever leave us?" asked Nicholas.

"Yes, it's true. I won't ever leave you alone again. I'll come home every night." he looked at the boys, quickly noticing their similarities and their differences. "You're James." he said. "You're the one they say is my miniature… and you," he looked at Nicholas. "You're Nicholas, you have your mother's eyes but you also look so much like me… How could I be so blind?" he hugged the boys again.

Florence left them talking in the living room and went into the kitchen. Remus followed her.

"I'll be going now." he said.

"Remus, I owe you so much…" Florence said. "You're my friend - my best friend. You've helped me so much with the boys. I hate to see you hurting."

"There's nothing you can do, Flor. And don't think this is your fault. I always knew your heart was taken, but I let myself fall for you anyway."

"I know someday you'll find a woman deserving of your love." she said hugging him. "I'm sorry I'm making you suffer…"

"Don't apologize. I'll stay away for a while. The boys have their father here now, and that's all they ever needed." he kissed her cheek. "Bye, Florence."

"Bye, Remus, take care of yourself. And I'll keep making your Wolfsbane Potion for you, so you can come here and get it whenever you need it."

"Thanks, Flor." and he left.

* * *

Florence set the table for them to have dinner. That would be the first time they would have dinner together as a family and **s**he hoped that would be the first of many.

She found the three of them upstairs in the boys' room. From the door she could hear happy squeals and laughter from inside the room. But as she opened the door she didn't like what she saw.

"What's happening here?" she noticed that some toys were flying around and James had a wand in his hand. Snape's wand. "Accio wand." she cast and the wand came to her hand. James just stared at her, amazed that he had been disarmed for the first time in his life. "We clearly need to talk about limits, Severus. They're not allowed to do magic, at least not intentionally. And they're absolutely forbidden to use a wand before they're eleven." she walked into the room and gave Snape his wand.

He put it inside his pants pocket and looked at the boys.

"So what else do you like to do besides playing with these bunch of toys?" he asked the kids.

"We love to…" began Nicholas.

"… watch TV!" the twins finished together.

"Later." Florence said. "Now it's time for dinner."

They walked downstairs and had their first dinner together. The boys only had eyes for their father. Florence was extremely happy. She knew their future wouldn't be easy but right at that moment everything was perfect.

* * *

After dinner, the boys and Snape stayed in the living room watching TV, the twins were telling him all about their favorite cartoons and shows.

Florence let them talk and went to the library to read.

* * *

**11 p.m. **

Florence yawned and put the book down. Only then she noticed she was being watched. Snape was by the door, one boy on each side of him- both trying to copy his pose. Florence smiled - they were so beautiful together.

"What are you doing, mommy?" asked Nicholas walking toward her and looking really tired. He jumped onto her lap and laid his head on her shoulder.

"I was reading, baby…" she murmured, kissing the top of his sleepy head.

James tugged at his dad's pantsand moved his arms up, showing that he wanted to be picked up. Snape did as the boy wanted and then walked into the library sitting beside Florence on the couch. Nicholas was already asleep against his mother's neck**.** James had also closed his eyes, his head resting on his father's chest.

"They're not used to stay up past 9 p.m." Florence murmured. "But they were so excited about having you here that I didn't want to send them to bed and ruin their fun."

"They're so amazing… they know everything about me."

"I told you I had told them about you." she smiled.

"They know it all and they admire me… they called me a hero and asked me not to die." Snape chuckled. "They're incredible boys, Florence." he looked at her, love shining in his dark eyes. "Thank you."

"Why are you thanking me for?"

"Thank you for giving me these amazing kids. Thank you for being such a strong woman and protecting them during the war, if you had told me the truth, your father would end up knowing and… I don't even want to think about what could have happened." he leaned towards her and kissed her lips softly. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Florence smiled. "Now, let's go upstairs and put these two babies in their beds and then we can go to our bed, Mr. Snape."

"I like the way your mind works, Mrs. Snape."

Florence smiled wider and they walked upstairs, each carrying one of the sleeping twins.


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter Forty-four**

**Being a Dad &amp; a Husband**

In the next morning, Snape woke up before Florence. He didn't get up, though, he stayed in bed by her side, watching her sleep.

"Stop staring at me..." she murmured.

He smiled.

"I've missed you so much." he said. "I won't let you run from me ever again."

Florence opened up her eyes, staring at him.

"The Ministry cannot know about us, Severus. If my father ever takes over the Ministry in the future, he'll know and..."

"I know." he interrupted. "I was thinking about a solution and I believe I might have found one. But I must talk to Dumbledore first."

"What is it?"

"It's a magical ritual. It's old magic. You know... I've been reading about this Enchantment thing, you know, and if I had read about it sooner I'd have realized the boys could never have been Black's children."

"I never said you were a genius." she teased, laying on top of him, kissing his chest, going down his hard stomach. "We should have lunch with your mother today. She'll be really happy with this news."

"True." he reached out for his wand on the bedside table and cast: "Expecto patronum."

"You could have written to her, you know? Or maybe called her. We do have a phone in this house and so does your mother." she said while pulling his sweatpants down, freeing his dick.

"Let's not talk about my mother when you're about to suck me." he complained.

"Who said I'll suck you off?" she gave him a naughty smile.

"I'm saying it now." he growled, guiding her head down on his cock.

She opened her mouth and her tongue just swirled around the head, at first, teasing him, going down his length. He spread his knees further apart, giving her more access to his balls. She touched his sack, taking her time licking, sucking each orb into her mouth. She went back to his member**,** opening her mouth wide and taking him down her throat. He moaned hoarsely. He wanted to fill her mouth with his seed, empty his balls down her throat. His hips moved just a fraction, he wanted more. Florence understood that. She concaved her cheeks, really sucking on him then. Snape shuddered. She began bobbing her head up and down and he knew he was going to come soon. But then she slowed down her moves, torturing him with her tongue once more, sucking just on the head, her hand massaging his balls.

"Suck me harder." he ordered. "I want to fuck your mouth and come down your throat…"

Florence's body shuddered in pleasure. She loved to see him like that, needing her, wanting to fuck her. She put him whole into her mouth and concaved her cheeks again. She felt his hands on her head, grabbing handfuls of her hair, and his hips bucked. He fucked her mouth just as he had said he wanted. Florence took it all - she loved when he did that.

"Gonna…come." he panted.

And then he was coming down her throat, she tried to swallow it all, but some of it escaped down her chin. Once he stopped coming, he pulled her to his chest, kissing her mouth, tasting himself on her lips.

"You're perfect." he murmured, kissing her. "Tonight we'll go out for dinner. Just you and me."

"Like a date?"

"Yes. I could never take you anywhere before. I want to do it now."

"Where will we go?" she asked.

"To the Vennet."

"Wow. That restaurant is very expensive, Severus. You don't have to…"

"But I want to. Please, let me do this. I never had money to give you anything, now I have."

"Fine." she said. "But I'm not marrying you for your money and you know that."

He laughed.

"Yes, I know that." he said and kissed her again.

They heard knockings on the door. Florence quickly went to the bathroom to clean her mouth and Snape put his pants back on. Once she walked out of the bathroom, she opened the bedroom door and the twins ran to the bed, jumping on their father.

"Morning, dad!" they screamed.

Florence sat on the bed, smiling.

"What about me?" she asked.

"Morning, mommy!" they said, hugging her as well.

"I'll go downstairs and ask Mel and Tiff to prepare our breakfast, ok? I'll call you when it's ready." She went to the door and turned back around. "No wands." she looked at her future husband.

"No wands." Snape repeated.

And then she left the room.

* * *

**After breakfast**

"How about we go to visit grandma today?" Florence asked the kids.

"Yes!" they exclaimed.

"Can dad help us get dressed today?" asked James.

"I don't know, boys, I think dad wants to take a shower and…" Florence said.

"No problem." Snape said. "I'll help these babies and you go shower first." he kissed her lips.

"We're not babies!" complained James, putting on his grumpy face and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Where have I seen that face before?" Snape chuckled as he stared at little James who looked exactly like Snape himself.

"I'm not a _baby_." James said and walked upstairs by himself.

Snape took Nicholas in his arms and asked her:

"What do I do now?"

"Well, sometimes Jamie realizes he's being stubborn and apologizes, but most times you have to talk to him and make him see reason."

"I'll help you, daddy." said Nicholas.

And they went after James. In the upstairs corridor Snape **c**ould listen to Jamie crying. He opened the boys' bedroom door and saw James sitting on the small couch that there was in the room. Snape put Nicholas on the floor and the boy walked toward his brother.

"Why are you crying, Jamie?" Nicholas asked.

"You may be a baby, but I'm not." James answered.

"But we're only three years old… we're not grownups."

"But we must look after mom." James said. "And we can't protect her if we're babies."

"But dad's here now." Nicholas said, looking at their father. "He'll help us look after mom."

"Really. You'll stay here with us? Forever?" James asked, his dark eyes full of tears as he looked at his father.

"Yes." Snape walked into the room and kneeled in front of the kids, trying hard not to cry. "I'll never leave you again. We'll protect mom together." the boys hugged his neck, he kissed both their heads and took a deep breath to control the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes.

James stopped crying and the three of them just looked and one another.

"Now that you both can be little kids again, let's get dressed so we can go tell your grandma that your mom and I are going to get married!"

"Yes! Let's!" both boys said.

* * *

Florence was waiting for them in the living room. But it was taking them too long to get ready. So she walked upstairs and opened the door to the boys' room.

"Are you ready?" she asked and then she saw the mess: Snape was throwing stuffed toys at the boys and they were using involuntary spells to avoid being hit by them. "Oh, no! Stop that! We're going to be late! Severus!"

But he was too amazed by the kids to make them stop.

"Dad, do you want to see our animal forms?" asked James.

"No!" Florence exclaimed.

"Yes!" Snape said at the same time.

And suddenly a small black bear cub was playing around on the floor with a small black German shepherd puppy.

"That's enough!" Florence ordered and the boys stopped playing. "You two transform back right now!" they did as she'd ordered and looked at her and then at their father. "You better be dressed and downstairs in fifteen minutes. The three of you!" she pointed at Snape as well.

Once Florence left the room they looked at one another.

"Mom got angry." said Nicholas.

"And dad got lectured with us!" James laughed.

"Let's do as she said, boys." said Snape, smiling.

They got dressed and walked downstairs within the fifteen-minute time limit; and the four of them Disapparated to Spinner's End.

* * *

Florence and the kids were the first ones to enter Eileen's house.

"Dear, what are you three doing here? Severus will be here soon and..." Eileen said while she hugged her grandkids and goddaughter.

"I know he'll be coming here, godmother. In fact, we came together." said Florence.

"Hello, mother." Snape was by the front door.

"What?" Eileen asked, confused.

"Dad's going to live with us now." explained James.

"Your… _dad_?" Eileen looked at her son, who now stood beside Florence, one arm around her waist. "You two better start explaining to me what on earth is going on here!" she smiled.

"He knows everything, godmother. I told him." Florence said.

"And we're getting married. Soon." he completed.

"Oh my Merlin!" Eileen screamed happily. "This is wonderful news! I'm so sorry I hid everything from you, my son." she hugged him. "But I did what I had to do to protect the boys…"

"I understand, mom." Snape said. "And I thank you for protecting them."

"Let's sit down, lunch is almost ready! Tell me how did this happen?" said Eileen.

And they told her everything that had happened in the last two days.

* * *

After lunch, Snape played with his sons until the boys fell asleep. Then he put them on his bed in the bedroom upstairs. He was about to leave the room when a picture on the nightstand caught his eye. He walked towards it and picked the framed picture up. _How many nights has this picture made me cry myself to sleep?_ But now he smiled as he looked at it.

He put the picture back down on the nightstand and looked around the room; there were so many memories there. Those two boys sleeping on the bed had been made right there on that same mattress. Snape smiled wide and kissed his kids' foreheads before leaving his old bedroom.

* * *

Florence and Eileen were sitting on the back porch.

"You know I am very happy for you, Flor, and for the boys - they look so happy! I only have one thing to ask of you… I want more grandchildren! Imagine a little girl running around this house!"

Florence laughed and before she could answer, Snape walked into the porch.

"You can be certain that'll happen pretty soon, mother." Snape said and kissed Florence. "I have to go back to Hogwarts. My classes have been cancelled for today but I still need to talk to Dumbledore." he looked at his mother. "Can you stay with the boys tonight?"

"You must learn already that you never have to ask me that, Severus. I always want to be with those kids." Eileen answered. "Mind if I ask you where you're going tonight?"

" If everything works out as I'm planning, we'll be performing the ritual tonight, after dinner." he said.

Florence looked at him.

"You're telling me that we might be getting married tonight?"

"Exactly." he kissed her once more before leaving the house.

* * *

Before going to Hogwarts, Snape went to Diagon Alley. After all, he couldn't get married without rings. He'd talked to Mr. Plummet, a wizard jeweler whose family talent for jewel making was legendary**.** There was even a strange legend that said the buyers never chose the jewels, the jewels were the ones who chose their buyers.

Snape entered the jewelry store and was led to a small office in the back, where an old man had been waiting for him.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Snape." the man said.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Plummet." he sat on the chair in front of a small table where four little jewelry boxes were.

"Here are the pieces that have asked me to come to you, sir." the old man said, pointing to the closed jewelry boxes.

"They've _asked_ to come to me?"

"Yes, sir. These are special jewelries, as you may already know. You see, Mr. Snape, my family makes two different kinds of jewelry - the beautiful but ordinary ones that we sell at the front of the store; and these special ones." he pointed at the four jewelry boxes on the table. "The rocks on these rings have power, they're almost sentient, somehow. When I have requests such as yours, I walk into my family's vault at Gringotts and I tell the jewelries there the potential buyer's story. It is as if they can feel the power and the origin of the love shared by the couple whose union they're about to be the symbol of. But, often times, I must say, none of them ask to come. This time, these four asked. It's a very strong bond you share with your wife-to-be, Mr. Snape."

"Have you been talking to Professor Dumbledore?" Snape asked.

"I had to. Once I received your letter this morning asking for a jewelry, I knew I had to talk to someone so I could get to know your story to tell it to the jewels. Dumbledore was the first person that came to my mind and, coincidentally, he was here in London when I called him."

"Yes, I bet it was sheer coincidence, really." he said ironically. "Anyway, can I see them?" he reached his hand to open one of the boxes.

"No!" Mr. Plummet almost shouted, holding his hand.

"How am I supposed to choose one, then?" asked Snape impatiently.

"You'll focus your mind on your wife-to-be, think of nothing but her. Then you'll move your hand over these boxes. If one of them chooses you, you'll know."

Snape thought that was the biggest rubbish he'd heard in a long time. But he did as the old man had asked. And as his hand was going over the third box, he felt it. His hand got warmer near that box.

"It's this one." he told Mr. Plummet.

"Amazing. Really amazing." said old Mr. Plummet. "This ring is more than 120 years old, Mr. Snape. My grandfather made this in honor of my grandmother. You see, she died really young, she was only 37, and he never remarried. They were blessed by a special magic known as The Enchantment. My father told me that, after my grandfather had made this ring, he never spoke another word until the day he died and also that he welcomed death with a smile on his face and her name on his lips." Mr. Plummet looked at Snape for a moment then said: "A love as strong as this must be treasured, Mr. Snape. I ask you to take care of this ring for it was very important to my family; and now it'll bless yours."

* * *

After the weird meeting with Mr. Plummet, Snape went to Hogwarts. Dumbledore was already waiting for him. He entered the Headmaster's office.

"Good afternoon, Dumbledore, did you find the information I need?"

"Yes, my son." he gave Snape an old book. "Here it is, in this book."

"The complete ritual?"

"Yes."

"And the day we wish to turn our marriage into public knowledge…?" Snap asked.

"The Ministry will perform a simple Revelio spell on both of you and they will know you're united by our old ways and they'll immediately accept your marriage."

"Thank you, Dumbledore."

* * *

**8 p.m.**

Florence was waiting for Snape at her house - now their house - in Hogsmeade. She was having a drink. Soon he arrived by the Floo Network.

"You look perfect." he said once he walked out of the fireplace, dressed in very elegant clothes.

"As I was putting this dress on I was just imagining how you would take it off." she murmured on his ear.

Snape kissed her, pushing her against the nearest wall. His hands going under her dress, touching her inner thighs. But as soon as he began he stopped.

"We better go, now." he said.

Florence just nodded and they left the house.

* * *

The Vennet Restaurant was beautifully decorated; white marble floors, silk covering the chairs, separated dining rooms, golden flatware and crystal glasses.

Snape and Florence were inside one private dining room for two, there was a table, two chairs and even a couch and a lit fireplace there.

"This place is really amazing." Florence said.

"I'm glad you like it."

"But I'll have to leave you by yourself for a moment. I need to check if you haven't messed up all my make up." she kissed him and left their private dining room, going to the Ladies' room.

* * *

Florence was washing her hands when…

"Florence?"

"Cissy?" she turned around and recognized her old friend.

They hugged.

"It's so good to see you!" Narcissa said. "Where have you been?"

"Well, you know… around." Florence didn't know what to say.

"Tell me who are you here with?'

"Always the curious one, right, Cissy?" Florence chuckled.

"Oh, please, tell me! Last I heard you were going out with Remus Lupin, but that one would have to sell his soul to be able to afford coming to a place like this."

Florence still said nothing.

"I know!" Narcissa exclaimed. "Severus brought you here! Am I right?"

" Yes." she sighed. "But we're here just as friends, nothing more. Don't tell the whole wizarding world, please." then Florence quickly changed the subject: "How's Draco?"

"He's great! He's so clever. And he looks just like Lucius. "

They heard some knocking and a conversation from the other side of the door:

"As soon as I saw you, Lucius, I knew why Florence was taking so long to return from the restroom." Snape said.

"I can say the same, my friend." replied Lucius.

Then women left the restroom. Lucius stared at Florence for a moment, completely taken by her beauty and the power of her _Veela _blood.

"Good night, Miss Delacour." the blond man took her hand and kissed it.

Snape also kissed Narcissa's hand.

"We better return to our dining room, Florence." Snape said, putting one hand behind her back.

"Of course, excuse us. Have a great dinner." Florence said to the Malfoy couple before going back to her and Snape's dining room.

"It was really indelicate of you to leave your future husband all by himself for so long." Snape said as they sat down at the table inside their room.

"You're right. Perhaps you should punish me." she said.

He just smiled.

* * *

After a delicious dinner, Florence ordered some chocolate dessert and Snape a bottle of elven wine.

They were on the small couch in front of the fireplace, and Florence was enjoying her dessert a bit too much; licking the spoon with her eyes fixed on Snape.

Suddenly he took his wand out, cast a Muffliato spell and locked their door.

"What is going on, Sev?"

He took a small box from his coat and kneeled in front of her and then Florence understood.

"Severus…"

"Shh… don't say anything." he sounded nervous. "Let me talk." he took a deep breath. "I love you and… the last two days have been the happiest days of my life in a long time. You gave me those two amazing kids. You protected them even from me." he paused. "We both know the war is not over yet, but I'm certain we'll find a way to win it. Together." he looked down and opened the small jewelry box. "Florence, I want you by my side for the rest of our days. I promise to love, cherish and protect you and our children. Will you marry me?"

Florence had tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Yes." she murmured. "You know my answer is yes."

He took her left hand, kissed it, and put the beautiful ring on her finger. They stared at each other for a while. And then he pulled her to him, kissing her lips, going down her neck, his hands under her dress. He picked her leg up and kissed her knee, going up to her thigh, under her dress. Florence could feel one of his hands near her center. She felt him hesitate for a moment when he realized she wasn't wearing any underwear under that dress.

"Do you want to know how the ritual must start?" he asked, his voice heavy with desire.

"How?"

"We must cut our hands and…"

"We'll use our blood?" she asked.

"Yes. We must mix our bloods together and say our vows."

"That's all?" she sounded disappointed.

"No." he chuckled. "After that I must pleasure your body," his hands touching her thighs more firmly. "I must drink from you…" one of his fingers touched her slick entrance, making her understand what he meant. "I'll make you come first. Then, once I have your body completely sated under mine, I'll take you…" he was kissing her neck now, murmuring near her ear. "I'll fuck you and make you come again. Only after I am sure you're convinced no other man could possibly give you what I can, only then I'll come deep inside of you."

"Severus." she panted. "Oh, please, can we do that now?"

He smiled.

"Yes."

He quickly stood up, put fifty galleons on the table and walked back to her, pulling her to him and going into the fireplace with Floo powder in his hand.

"Florence's house, Hogsmeade." he said.

And the green flames consumed them both.

* * *

**Author's note:** To anyone who thinks I may have mischaracterized Snape because of the way he acted with his sons, I can only say that I think he would be a great father because he didn't have a good one so I believe he'd try to be the best dad possible to his own children.


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter forty-five**

**The Ritual**

Once the flames vanished, Florence opened her eyes and saw that they had arrived in their bedroom, in their house in Hogsmeade. Snape had connected the bedroom fireplace to the Floo network for the night. And he also had asked the elves to change the bed sheets – now nothing but a blood-red sheet Florence was sure she had never seen before was covering the bed. It was beautiful; and no lights were on, only the fire in the fireplace illuminated the bedroom. And by the foot of the bed, there was a small table with a white bowl and a knife on it.

"We're really doing it now." Florence said as she looked at it all.

"Yes."

"I've always dreamed about this day." she said, her eyes closing for a moment. "When we were still students at Hogwarts and even after we had broken up, I've always dreamed that one day everything would be back to normal and we would get married. I never imagined the ritual though. In my dreams it was always a small party in the backyard. Just us, your mom, Dumbledore and our friends… Lily, James, Remus and even Sirius…" a tear rolled down her face.

Snape hugged her.

"I love you, Flor. And I'm really happy this day has finally come." he said.

Florence looked at him.

" What do we do first?" she asked.

"First, we must shower and bath together in some special herbs that are near the bathtub. Then we'll come here and, in front of that table, we'll cut our hands, mix our bloods and say our vows to each other. After that… well, I've already explained to you what will happen after our vows."

Florence shuddered in desire.

"Let's begin it, then!" she said and they went into the bathroom together.

* * *

After they had bathed in the special herbs, they walked, naked and still wet, to the small table and stopped. Snape got the knife on his right hand and touched it to his left hand, palm up, cutting his own palm deeply. He let some of his blood drop into the bowl. Florence gave him her left hand and he did the same to her hand. When her blood touched his in the bowl, it magically boiled. Snape opened his bloodied hand and Florence put her equally bloodied left hand over his.

"Everything that will be said here must be taken as a promise and fulfilled. This ritual is unbreakable. No forces on earth can undo it." he paused and she felt the air move around them. "Florence Delacour Peverell, I'll share with you everything that I have. My name, my possessions, my life."

And Florence felt their united hands getting warmer. He looked at her, it was her turn now.

"Severus Prince Snape" she began. "I'll always be by your side, no matter how hard the future might be."

And there it was again, the same warm feeling between their hands. And now they could also hear the sound of their hearts beating in unison.

"I'll use anything and everything in my power to protect you and our children. With or without your permission."

"And I'll do the same." she said, smiling. "I also offer you my body, being it yours and nobody else's."

"I'll respect you and cherish you." he said. "I'll never allow anyone to dishonor you."

The heat was getting hotter between their hands.

"I give you my loyalty, my respect, my trust." she was trying not to cry.

"You have my loyalty, my trust and my love." he said. "I'll provide anything you and our children may need; you'll want for nothing. "

Their hearts were beating louder. They're hands nearly too hot.

"I've loved you all my life and I'll always love you." she said.

"I'll die before I let anyone hurt you or our family." he finished.

They stared at each other for a while. Then the heat between their hands started to get less hot, and the loud sound of their heartbeats faded.

Snape pulled her towards his body, their bloodied hands still united, and he kissed her deeply.

"Now…" he said over her wet lips. "You know what happens…" and he threw her on the bed and made her spread her leg apart. He gave himself a moment to stare at her like that. Then he kneeled on the bed between her legs and kissed her inner thighs, slowly going to her center. When he reached her entrance he swiped his tongue along her cleft. Florence moaned breathlessly. And then he speared his tongue into her and her hands went to his hair. He lapped at her, feasting on her body, drawing more and more cream from her center while she tossed and mewled beneath him. Both his hands on her hips, holding her still for his attack.

Snape groaned helplessly, his tongue plunging deep and hard inside her, fucking her into a mindless frenzied urgency. She had never known anything so hot, or a hunger so deep. His tongue caressing, eating at her, lapping at her, until tremors of sensation shook her body.

One finger went into her, pushing deep and then out. Then two fingers went inside of her channel. His mouth focusing on her clit, his tongue flicking back and forth deliciously slow. And Florence was coming apart in his mouth, shouting his name as her hips bucked.

He quickly put his body over hers.

"You're mine." he said roughly, her taste on his lips, her body pliant under his, all he could thing about was fucking her.

He held her hips and guided his dick into her hot, slick channel. She moaned his name and he couldn't keep his control anymore, he moved, ramming into her hard and deep, burying himself balls deep. He fucked her hard, holding her hips down so she could only accept his invasion. He kept thrusting over and over, his balls grew tight and almost hurt with the need to come, but he wouldn't come, not yet. He felt her channel closing around him once more, and she threw her head back, his name being shouted, her body convulsing in pleasure. But before she could catch her breath, he was flipping her over, dragging her to her knees while her body still shook because of her last orgasm. He pushed his cock into her again, his hands on her hips, pulling her ass back toward his hips. Florence whimpered and moaned, wanting more, begging for more, crying out his name. He was growling, trying to focus and not come but it was becoming impossible. He bent over her further, going deeper; one finger going between her legs to rub her clit. And Florence couldn't stop her next orgasm or the way her muscles locked down around his dick. She screamed and he thrust forward, deep, coming, marking her body as his, spilling his seed inside of her hot body. He fell down on her back, rolling them both so they were lying side by side on the bed.

"I… can't feel my legs." she whispered breathlessly. "I don't think I'll be able to walk soon."

He laughed pulling her to his chest.

And they both fell asleep.

* * *

**In the next morning**

He woke up and watched her sleep. He could barely believe that they were finally married. She was his wife, at last. He couldn't even remember how unhappy his life had been just the week before. But now he had her, she was his wife and they had two beautiful sons.

"Stop staring at me…" she murmured.

"Good morning, love…" he said, kissing her lips softly.

Florence opened her eyes and looked into his dark ones. She could see what he had been thinking.

"We're finally married, aren't we?" she murmured.

"Yes."

"I'm so happy." she said, smiling. "I can't believe last night was real."

"But it was. We'll be together forever." he said, looking into her eyes. "I love you." and he kissed her, holding her tightly against his chest.

* * *

**December 25****th**

Their first Christmas together was beautiful. They spent it at home, in Hogsmeade. Florence asked the elves to prepare a simple and delicious meal, there were some presents for the kids and also some for the adults. Just the five of them: Florence, Snape, the twins and Eileen. Or so they thought. Little did they know that there was already a third child on the way.

* * *

**January 9****th****, 1982**

" Come on, Severus!" Florence shouted. "And people say _women _are the ones that take a long time to get ready. Let's go, boys!"

The twins and their father finally showed up on the top of the stairs and walked downstairs.

" Here we are." Snape said as he reached his wife. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"I'm fine, don't worry."

"But…" he began.

"We're only going to have dinner with you mom, Sev." Florence interrupted. "It's not like we're going to run a marathon or something. I'm fine. Relax. It's your birthday." she kissed his lips and kneeled down to help the twins put their coats on.

"If you don't feel well…" Snape tried again.

"You'll bring me straight home." she interrupted him once more. "I know that. Chill out, love."

And they Disapparated to Eileen's.

* * *

Eileen was waiting for them at the front door. She hugged and kissed all of them, wishing her son a happy birthday.

"Can we help you, grandma?" James asked.

"No, honey. Everything's ready. Let's sit down. I've made your favorite dessert, son." Eileen said.

"Lemon pie!" the twins exclaimed, they loved candy as much as their father.

"Yep!" Eileen confirmed.

* * *

After they had had lunch and a delicious dessert, the adults stayed downstairs talking in front of the lit fireplace, while the twins played in Snape's old bedroom upstairs.

"Flor, Severus told me you haven't been feeling well lately." said Eileen.

"It's nothing, godmother. Nothing to worry about."

"Of course it's something to worry about." said Snape. "You fainted two days ago, Tiffany told me. And there are days when you just sleep in the middle of the afternoon. You never did that. In fact, you hate sleeping during the day."

"Well, I visited Pomfrey yesterday." said Florence. "And she said everything is fine with me and... the baby." she put her hand on her flat belly.

Eileen and Snape just stared at her for a moment, in shock.

"Oh my Merlin!" Eileen finally screamed and hugged Florence. "I'm going to be a grandma again! I hope this time it's a baby girl! I really want a little princess to spoil!"

"Pomfrey said that this time the magic within the child is interfering with mine and that she thinks it may be a girl. That's why I've been feeling tired and kind of angry sometimes for no reason." Florence said.

Snape had yet to say a word.

"Are you ok, Sev?" Florence touched his hand, worried about how pale he looked.

"You're pregnant?" he asked.

"Yes. Three weeks."

He kneeled in front of her in the couch and kissed her stomach. He looked up at Florence.

"I love you." he said, his voice full of emotion and he looked back at her belly, kissing her there again. "And I love you already, little princess."

* * *

**Author's note: **and here ends of the Second Part of this fan fiction. I still can't believe I've translated this far. 100 points for Slytherin, please.

Also, the third part (that starts in the next chapter) begins in 1991 (Harry's coming). So you all need to know that between '82 and '91, Florence and Snape had two children: Elizabeth (the princess Florence is already expecting at the end of this chapter) was born on September 12th, 1982; and Christopher (the only Snape boy with brown hair) on November 21st , 1987.

So, have you enjoyed these last moments of peace and love? You better had! Because on the next chapter the problems will begin and they will only end, well, in the end.


	46. Chapter 46

**Chapter Forty-six**

**Harry**

**August 1991**

**Late night**

The kids were already asleep and Florence was waiting for her husband to arrive, pacing the living room nervously. Then, finally, the flames in the fireplace turned green and from them Snape appeared, brushing off the soot from his clothes.

"So is it done? Harry's got his letter?" she asked.

"No. Apparently, the Dursleys are trying to stop him from going to Hogwarts." they both sat on the couch and Snape kissed her. "I dare say Petunia has never even told him a word about magic. So Dumbledore's decided to send the boy as many letters as necessary in order to make sure Harry'll come to Hogwarts."

Florence laughed and said:

"Which means he's probably going to send a thousand letters. I'd love to see the Dursley's faces when their front yard gets covered in owl poo!"

* * *

**September 1****st****, 1991**

Florence was at the high table, sitting between Dumbledore and Snape.

"I'm dying to see him." she murmured.

"He looks a lot like James." said Dumbledore.

"I'd know that already, had I been the one to raise him." Florence said in a bitter tone.

"You know now what was one of my reasons to not allow that." murmured Dumbledore looking from Florence to Snape. "We know what his role will be in the upcoming war, I couldn't allow the boy-who-lived to be raised by…"

"I get it, Dumbledore." Florence interrupted. "I don't like it, but I understand."

Then the big oak doors opened.

"And here they are." said Dumbledore.

A bunch of kids walked into the Great Hall led by Prof. McGonagall. She asked them to stop right in front of the high table and took a roll of parchment from the table. Then she turned back to face the first-year students.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," McGonagall said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

The girl sat on the stool and McGonagall put the old hat on her head.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Granger, Hermione!"

A bushy-haired girl almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat.

"Malfoy, Draco."

A super blond boy went to the stool.

"He looks so much like Lucius." murmured Florence to her husband.

The hat had barely touched the boy's head when it screamed:

"SLYTHERIN!"

After many other names had been called, McGonagall finally said:

"Potter, Harry."

The Great Hall fell silent.

The boy put the hat on his head and everybody waited. It took the Sorting Hat a while but in the end it shouted:

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"No surprises there." Dumbledore smiled to the two Slytherins on his right.

"Weasley, Ronald." continued McGonagall.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"How many children do the Weasleys have?" Florence asked Snape.

"Seven. We'll get there someday." he murmured back.

Florence just stared at him, her facial expression somewhere between shocked and amused.

After all the students had been sorted, Dumbledore got up from his chair and spoke about the Forbidden Forest, the third floor and other things. And then the feast began.

* * *

**At the Gryffindor table**

"Percy, who's that black-haired teacher?" Harry asked.

"That's Prof. Snape. He teaches Potions."

"And who's the woman sitting next to him?" asked Harry.

"Dumbledore introduced her earlier as Miss Florence Delacour. She's from Durmstrang, another school of magic. But why do you ask?"

"She looks familiar, that's all." Harry murmured, touching his scar that, for the first time ever, was itching.

* * *

After the begin-of-term banquet, Dumbledore called all teachers for a meeting, as usual. Florence was invited as well. Madam Hooch went to talk to her:

"So, dear, how are those kids of yours doing?"

"They're doing great." said Florence. "They'll be thirteen in October. Can you believe that?"

"Thirteen years already! Where did the time go?" said Hooch. "I feel very old right now…" she paused. "But why didn't you enroll them here at Hogwarts? Did you fear Severus would torture them?"

"No." Florence laughed. "I just want them to have an experience far from home. As we live in Hogsmeade, I can't say Hogwarts is far."

"Are they as good-looking as their father?" asked Hooch.

Florence didn't understand the question for a moment._ Since when does she think Severus is good-looking?_ But then she remembered that the woman was talking about Sirius.

"Oh, yes, they are. They look just like their father." she answered.

Prof. Sprout joined the conversation.

"Severus doesn't take his eyes off of you, Florence." the Herbology teacher said.

"Have you two talked after everything that happened?" Hooch asked.

"Yes. We're good friends now." Florence said. "Nothing more."

Sprout sighed and said:

"You know, when you got here you changed him."

Hooch nodded in agreement.

"He and Lily had had a disagreement earlier that year and he was more alone than ever."

Florence didn't say anything she just looked at him and then at the teachers.

"But I think you may have your reasons to be just friends with him nowadays." said Hooch. "It's a pity, though, you two made a very good couple."

Florence tried hard not to laugh.

* * *

**After the meeting**

Florence went to the third floor and from there to the dungeons by Floo.

Snape arrived ten minutes after her. She was taking her clothes off to take a shower before bed when he opened the bedroom's door.

"What did those two want talking to you so much?" he asked.

"Hooch said it's a pity you and I are no longer together, because we made such a good couple. And Sprout said I changed you when I arrived here that year." Florence walked towards him, helping him undo his buttons. "Also they asked me if the twins are as handsome as their father."

"They think the boys are Black's children." he growled.

"Yes. And that's what they have to think, Sev. You know that."

He didn't reply.

She went to the bathroom.

"Do you need help showering?" he asked, his eyes shining with desire.

"Of course. You know I never get wet enough when I shower by myself."

And he followed her into the bathroom.

* * *

**September 1991**

**Second week of classes**

It was Friday and the twins had gone home for the weekend.

Florence, Snape and their four children were watching TV; the twins and Elizabeth were also playing Monopoly on the rug.

"You won't believe it." Snape began saying while caressing his wife's hair.

"What?" she murmured.

"McGonagall put Harry in the Gryffindor Quidditch Team."

"But he's a first year." said James.

"First years never make the house team." said Nicholas.

"I bet it's just because he's famous." said Elizabeth.

"Minerva says he's a great Catcher just like his father." Snape growled. "And he really is like James Potter."

"Why do you say that?" Florence looked at him. "How many points have you taken from Gryffindor because of Harry already, Sev?"

"Just ten." Florence rolled her eyes. He tried to explain: "I asked him two questions, he didn't know how to answer any. I took five points for that. The other five were because he disrespected me in front of the class."

"What did he do?" asked Elizabeth. "Did he breathe too loud?" she asked jokingly.

Snape stared at his daughter trying to intimidate her, but he got back the same intimidating look he was giving her. Then the little girl smiled and he knew he had lost that battle, as usual.

* * *

**November 1991**

With the proximity of the first exams, Snape spent more and more time at Hogwarts, to his family's dismay. He started to go home only on the weekends.

* * *

**Tuesday**

**5 a.m.**

Someone was knocking on his door. Insistently.

"I'm coming." barked Snape.

It could only be Dumbledore, that early in the morning. Breakfast was hours away from being served.

He opened the door and was ready to kick Dumbledore out of his dungeons, but...

"Florence?" he asked in shock and quickly pulled her inside. "What are you doing here? Is everything all right?"

"No. I'm not feeling very well." she whispered, getting closer to him and letting her purse drop on the floor..

"You should go see Pomfrey, then." he said, confused.

"There's nothing Pomfrey can do for me, _professor_."

Then he saw what her intentions were.

"What are you feeling?" he asked crossing his arms over his chest and staring at her.

"Hot. My skin is too hot… my whole body feels that way."

"Where exactly does it begin?"

"Right here." she touched herself between her legs, staring him in the eyes, teasing him.

He swallowed hard before asking:

"Does it happen often?"

"Yes. All the time… whenever you're around." she touched his chest and he put his hands on her waist, pulling her close and taking her lips in a possessive kiss.

He walked her to the nearest desk and threw everything that was there onto the floor, making Florence sit on the desk.

"I think I may have a solution for your problem…" he said, taking his own shirt off and then her dress went flying over her head. She was completely naked, no panties, no bra. "But it's only temporary, you may need another dose from time to time, maybe every day, sometimes even more than once a day." he touched her skin, barely really touching it, just to turn her on more.

"And what is it?" she panted.

He gave her a lopsided smile and pushed his sweatpants down to his knees. One hand touched her pussy, checking how ready she was for him. She was ready all right. Completely slick and wet, dripping on his finger. He growled low in his chest and positioned his member between her legs.

Florence closed her eyes and threw her head back as he penetrated her body in one single thrust. He kept himself deep inside of her, making the pleasure last longer. Then he grabbed her hair in one hand, pulling her head to him and taking her lips again, swallowing her moans as he began fucking her. Her breasts pushed into his chest, her hard nipples rising and falling against him with every move of their bodies and each breath she took. Florence dug her heels on his back, pulling him deeper. He bent his head and took one nipple into his mouth. She screamed his name, coming right then, her body melting against his. He didn't stop, he kept on thrusting into her, hard and deep while she moaned and mewled deliciously. But soon, too soon, her soft breathless gasps and loud moans drove him over the edge. She was too slick, too tight, squeezing his dick until it was too much. He held her hips with both hands and fucked her harder, feeling his own release close. And then he spilt his seed deep inside of her, and suddenly his body was too heavy for his own legs. Florence had lain down on her back on the desk, so he leaned over her, looking at her face, her messed hair, her breasts moving with her every breath, his dick still between her sprawled legs.

"I can't move, Sev." she panted and chuckled.

"Neither can I." he said, chuckling.

He slowly removed his spent dick from her body and helped her sit up. They shared a slow kiss.

"What did you come to do here so early?" he asked while they were getting dressed.

"I needed to give you this." she picked up a package from inside her purse. "It's a Christmas gift for Harry, I didn't sign it so he won't know who sent him this."

"What is it?"

"Lily's old photo album. I got it from Godric's Hollow. I removed any pictures where we were with them or Remus or Sirius. There are only pictures of the Potters in it."

"Ok. I'll put it under the Gryffindor Christmas tree." he yawned. "I'm beat."

"Are you regretting opening the door to me?"

"I could say yes, but I'd be lying. Feel free to come here every day at 5 a.m." he said sarcastically.

Florence laughed and kissed him.

"I'll go home now, then. See you on Friday?"

"Yes."

And she left.

* * *

**May 1992**

**Snape House in Hogsmead**

**Thrusday**

**3 a.m.**

Florence couldn't sleep or read or pay attention to whatever it was on TV. She was worried. She knew something had happened; she could feel it. She decided to go to Hogwarts. She went upstairs and changed her clothes. Once she was back downstairs in the living room, she called one of her house-elves. Tiffany appeared.

"Keep an eye on Liz and Chris, Tif. I must go to Hogwarts. But it probably won't take me long to come back." and going into the fireplace with some Floo powder, she called: "Hogwarts' Dungeons."

When she opened her eyes and saw her husband's living room she walked out of the fireplace and called his name. But he wasn't down there. She walked out of his living quarters and went roaming around the castle looking for him or Dumbledore, trying not to be seen by anyone. The corridors were nearly empty at that time of night, only some prefects and some snogging couples were around.

"Miss Delacour."

She turned around quickly as she heard her name being called in that familiar voice.

"Prof. Snape." she looked at both sides of the corridor before running to him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, not happy to see her there.

"I had a bad feeling. Is everything all right here?"

"Yes and no. Let's go to my rooms."

They quickly walked into his private quarters. Snape locked the door and they sat on the couch in front of the fireplace.

"Quirell wasn't exactly Quirell." Snape began. "The stuttering lunatic was serving as a host for some part of your father's soul."

"What?"

"We still don't know how that happened. Anyway, Dumbledore had hidden the Philosopher's Stone here in the castle in the beginning of the term. Harry somehow discovered that and thought I was trying to steal it to give it to your father."

Florence laughed.

"Well, it's good to know that he believes you're a bad guy."

"Yeah, I know. I don't like it, but I know it's good for future plans. Anyway, he followed someone that he thought was me down to where we were hiding the stone. When he got there, he found out it was Quirell and they had some sort of fight that Harry won, somehow."

"How is he?"

"He's fine. He'll spend the night in the hospital wing. We have a Potions final exam tomorrow morning and I used that as an excuse to ask Pomfrey about him. She assured me he'll be able to take the exam tomorrow."

"I wish I could…" she said.

"You know you can't go there, Flor." Snape interrupted. "The boy's fine."

"What about Quirell?"

"He's dead. He turned into dust. Literally. No idea how that happened." Snape got up and took his coat out. "You better go home now."

"I could stay here and help you relax." she said taking her own coat out and letting it fall on the couch.

"No." he picked her coat up and gave it back to her. "You can't stay here, Florence. Go home. And stop looking at me like that!"

"Like what?" she asked. "Like I'd like to be fucked by the teacher?"

Snape walked to his fireplace and picked up the flowerpot with Floo powder. Or better saying the flowerpot that should be full of Floo powder.

"What did you do to my Floo powder, Florence?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, professor." she went into the bedroom, her dress being thrown out of the room. "I think I'm going to take a shower." he heard the shower being turned on.

"I'm not going to fall for it, Florence." he walked into the bedroom. "You have to go home!"

Then he saw her bra and panties being thrown from the bathroom into the room. He swallowed hard and threw her coat and the empty flowerpot on the floor; then he walked into the bathroom while unbuttoning his shirt.


	47. Chapter 47

**Chapter Forty-seven**

**The Diary**

**October 1992**

Snape arrived at his private quarters and closed the door behind him. He was tired and homesick. It had been two weeks that he had last seen his family. They were so close and yet so far at the same time. But he couldn't go home because Dumbledore had had the amazing idea of hiring a complete imbecile to teach Defense Against Dark Arts and the Headmaster didn't want Snape away from the school just in case of another episode like the Cornish Pixies' one happening again.

He sighed and walked into his bedroom and... Florence was there. He shook his head and blinked just to make sure she was really there and he wasn't hallucinating. She was lying on his bed, wearing nothing but one of his white long-sleeved shirts. Florence saw him by the door and got up coming towards him.

"Good night, Sev. I thought I was going to sleep in here all by myself." she said kissing his neck.

"I'm so so glad that you're here." he hugged her tightly. "I'm getting homesick and I was missing you like crazy." he kissed her lips tenderly at first, then becoming more demanding. "I'm in desperate need of a shower." he murmured as they stopped kissing.

"Have you had dinner yet?"

"Yes." he went into the bathroom. "But haven't had dessert!"

"I'll order something from the kitchens." Florence said walking out of the room and going to the fireplace. She called the kitchens and asked for some chocolate pudding. She was walking back to the bedroom when she heard:

"_Ashta sif._"

"What?" she asked out loud.

"Siif asshe ashta.", she heard again.

* * *

Snape walked back into his room expecting to see her sprawled naked on the bed but Florence was nowhere to be seen. He walked to the living room and there she was, one hand on the wall, a worried look on her face.

"Florence, are you all right?"

"Parseltongue." she murmured. "I heard someone speaking Parseltongue."

"What? That's not possible!"

"They were talking and now they stopped. Someone was ordering something around..."

"To do what?"

"I don't know! It sounded like it was moving away and I lost it... "

"Maybe you imagined it. Nobody in this castle is a Parselmouth."

Florence didn't say anything.

"I need some dessert." he said sitting at the table where the chocolate pudding was. "I'm craving it. And I swear I'm going to strangle Lockhart until the end of the term."

But Florence was only half listening.

* * *

They went to bed after eating a lot of dessert.

"Have I told you already how happy I am that you're here?" he said kissing her head while his hands played with her hair. "I wish I could go home to see the children..."

"Liz and Chris miss you. It's been two weekends you say you'll go home and then you don't. They cry every Friday night when you don't get home before their bedtime. They make me promise that if you get home after they're sleeping I'll wake them up so they can kiss you good night. It's heartbreaking actually."

"They understand..."

"Yes, Sev. They know you're needed here in the castle, but they want you home."

"I want myself home too…" he replied chuckling.

"_Shhs kst shta."_

"Again!" Florence exclaimed getting up from the bed and running her hand through the wall. "I heard Parseltongue again! And I think it's going to kill!"

Snape got up quickly and they both got dressed as fast as they could and ran to the corridors. Florence guiding him, listening to whispers of _Kill_ and _Blood_.

When they reached the third floor, the floor was wet there, the whispers had stopped and then they saw what had happened. Harry, Ron and Hermione were at the end of the flooded corridor staring at Mrs. Norris. The cat was hanging upside down by its tail from an unlit torch. In the wall next to the cat there was something written in what looked like blood. Florence got her wand out but before she could do anything to erase those words, lots of students appeared in the corridor. And Draco Malfoy was reading the words in the wall out loud:

"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir beware." and then he stared at Hermione. "You'll be next mudbloods."

"What's going on here?" asked Filch coming through the corridor and stopping once he saw his cat. "You murdered my cat!" he pointed to a very scared Harry. "I'll kill you! I'll kill you!" the man screamed.

"Argus!" shouted Dumbledore appearing amongst the students with McGonagall, Sprout and Lockhart. The Headmaster looked at the writing on the wall and then at Florence, worried. "Everyone will proceed to their dormitories, immediately. Everyone except you three." he pointed the three Gryffindors. "Now, Argus, she's not dead. Mrs. Norris has only been petrified."

"So unlucky I wasn't around." Lockhart said, looking at Florence. "I know exactly the countercourse that could have spared her."

Florence tried not to smile.

"Now, how she's been petrified I cannot say." said Dumbledore.

"Ask him!" Filch shouted pointing to Harry. "He's the one that's done it."

"No, Headmaster, I didn't do anything. I've never touched Mrs. Norris." Harry tried to defend himself.

"If I might, Headmaster." Snape began. "Perhaps Potter and his friends were only at the wrong place in the wrong time."

The three Gryffindor where shocked to see him defending them. Florence just looked at her husband, she knew nothing good was coming from that.

"However." he continued. "I don't recall seeing Potter at dinner."

"I believe that was my doing, Severus." said Lockhart. "Harry was helping me answer my fan mail." he smiled and winked at Florence this time.

Florence wanted to laugh. Clearly Lockhart had no idea the risk he was in at that moment.

"That's why Ron and I went looking for him, professor." said Hermione. "We'd just found him when he said…" she looked nervous and stared at Harry. Florence listened to her thoughts:_…he'd heard a voice saying that it was going to kill._

"Yes, Miss Granger?" asked Snape.

"When I said I wasn't hungry." Harry completed. "We were going back to our common room when we found Mrs. Norris."

Snape looked at Dumbledore.

"They're innocent until proven guilty, Severus." said the Headmaster.

"My cat's been petrified!" shouted Argus. "I want to see some punishment!"

"We will be able to cure her, Argus. Soon Prof. Sprout's Mandrakes will be old enough that a potion can be made from them and we can use it to unpetrify Mrs. Norris."

"Of course. And I'll make the potion myself!" said Lockhart looking at Florence.

"Should I remind you who the Potions Master of this school is, Lockhart?" Snape said between gritted teeth.

Florence turned around and left the corridor as quickly as possible, laughing like a lunatic once she reached the dungeons.

* * *

Snape went back to his room a few minutes later.

"So, now do you believe me?" Florence asked him.

"So you heard someone speaking Parseltongue. But who was it? And what does the cat have to do with anything?"

"I heard someone speaking Parseltongue and so did Harry."

"What?" he sat on the bed and took off his shoes.

"I read that on Granger's mind."

"Don't get inside Granger's mind too much, you might get lost in there." he joked and sighed. "What you're saying makes no sense, Flor. Harry can't be able to speak Parseltongue, he doesn't have Slytherin's blood…"

"We don't know that. The Potters can be traced back to the Peverell brothers and you know that. Besides Harry has that invisibility cloak…"

"Yes! But…"

"And Dumbledore always hides things from you. From us. He knows more than he tells. He must even know already that Harry is a Parselmouth." Florence sat on the bed beside her husband. "What is this Chamber of Secrets anyway?"

"Long story short: Salazar Slytherin wanted muggleborns out, but the other three Hogwarts' founders didn't agree with him." Snape took his shirt off. "So there's a legend that says that, before leaving the school, Salazar Slytherin built a hidden chamber in this castle, known as the Chamber of Secrets. He sealed it and left. And only when his true heir returned to the castle, the Chamber would open and the monster within it unleashed. The monster would purge the school of those who, in Slytherin's view were unworthy of studying magic; aka muggleborns."

"You are not trying to say that maybe this is my fault, are you? That just because I'm here a muggleborn-eating monster is now roaming the corridors and looking for kids to kill. That's absurd! And what does the cat have to do with it?"

"I don't know. But it's all too odd. And dangerous."

"Besides if my mere presence here is making the monster kill, why didn't this happen when I was studying here? I've never even heard about that Chamber of Secrets before."

"I really don't know what to say to you. But who else in this castle has Salazar Slytherin's blood besides you? Who else speaks Parseltongue?

"I don't know any those answers. But I'm sure Dumbledore does."

* * *

**November 1992**

**Saturday evening**

Snape arrived at home and from the living room he could hear the happy noises coming from the kitchen. He smiled and walked towards those sounds. As he entered the kitchen, the kids shouted and came running to hug him. James and Nicholas were there already.

"We just got here too, dad." said James.

"It's so good to see you two home." said Snape looking at the twins. "You're both so tall…" he sighed. "You're growing too fast."

"Ok, let's stop this depressing talk about their growth. Said Florence looking at the twins with a disbelieving expression. "I really can't believe it's been 14 years I gave birth to you two." she shook her head and said: "Let's have dinner! I've made chocolate cake for dessert!"

Snape sat down and Christopher quickly jumped on his lap.

"Harry is spending the night in the hospital wing." he told his wife.

"What happened to him?" Florence asked, worried.

"A bewitched Bludger followed him around the Quidditch pitch earlier today. But that's not the worst of it. The Bludger only managed to break his arm and he caught the Snitch anyway. The worst is that Lockhart decided to fix his arm."

"Oh, no."

"I had just got to my office when Pomfrey came running through the dungeons, asking for some Skele-Gro."

Florence stared at her husband and asked:

"You're telling me that that imbecile Lockhart simply made all the bones in Harry's arm disappear?"

"Exactly. The boy is going to spend the night drinking Skele-Gro…" said Snape.

"Eww." said James. "I remember how horrible that thing tastes."

"Don't remind me of that episode, Jamie…" Florence said.

"What happened? Why did you have to drink Skele-Gro, Jamie? asked Elizabeth

"Nick had broken my big toe and I was crying because it was hurting a lot. Mom wasn't home and grandma was asleep." began James.

"And I was feeling so bad about breaking his big toe that I was crying with him." said Nicholas, smiling.

"Well, we knew the spell he needed to put my toe back in place but we were eight, we didn't have any wands. So Nick stole grandma's and tried to fix it…"

"I made four of his toes lose their bones." Nick said.

"And that's why I had to drink Skele-Gro for a whole night. I still remember the taste and the pain…" James shuddered. "It was horrible."

"I wish I could…" Florence began, looking at her husband.

"You know you can't." Snape interrupted. "You have to stop trying to go to the castle to see him, Flor. Harry doesn't know a thing about you, the boy would freak out if you began treating him as…"

"As if I cared about him?" interrupted Florence. "Because I do. I am his godmother and I love that boy. I should be the one looking after him…" and she stopped talking, she knew she would end up crying if she continued.

"Sometimes I think about him." James said, after a moment of silence.

"We remember him." Nicholas said. "We remember him as a baby. He used to stay with us at grandma's. I liked to play with him."

"And all those times we visited Aunt Lily…" James said. "I hated him so much."

"I remember that." Florence chuckled.

"I feel sorry for him." Elizabeth said, drinking her strawberry juice. "He could have grown here, with us, with love, but he never had any of it. And now dad says that Harry would freak out if you treated him as a kid must be treated, with love… it's just sad."

"Yes, it really is." the twins said, softly.

Christopher hugged his father's neck and whispered:

"Poor Harry."

* * *

**December 1992**

Florence went to the castle to see the opening of the Dueling Club where her husband would be Lockhart's assistant. She wouldn't miss that for all the chocolate in the world. A long stage had been put in the middle of the Great Hall. Florence sat on a comfortable chair near the stage, Draco Malfoy and his friends were beside her. Snape stood behind her chair, both hands clasped behind his back, looking a lot like a bodyguard.

Lockhart saw Florence and came quickly towards her. He took her hand and laid a kiss upon it, holding it longer than necessary.

"What a great surprise to see you, Miss Delacour! Did you come here to see me? asked Lockhart.

"Dumbledore invited me for dinner, Prof. Lockhart, and I heard about the Dueling Club and that my dear friend, Prof. Snape, was going to be your assistant… so I had to come."

"Lovely to see you here! Sit down and enjoy. And call me Gilderoy." he winked at her and walked up to the stage. "Can everybody see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent! In light of the dark events of recent weeks Prof. Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this Dueling Club to train you all up, in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions." he smiled at Florence. "Let me introduce my assistant, Prof. Snape." and Snape walked onto the stage. "He has sportingly agreed to help with a short demonstration. Now, I don't want any of you to worry." he winked at Florence again. "You'll still have you Potions Master when I'm through with him. Never fear."

"Godfather is going to end that pompous git." Draco Malfoy murmured to his friends.

Florence just smiled at the boy.

Snape and Lockhart were ready to begin.

"On the count of three." said Lockhart. "One. Two. Three."

"Expelliarmus." cast Snape.

And Lockhart flew back a few meters, hitting the far wall. Some students cheered while others (mostly girls) looked worried. Lockhart slowly walked back to the stage.

"Excellent idea to show them that, Prof. Snape. Butif you don't mind my saying so, it

was pretty obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy…" Snape was looking murderous and possibly Lockhart had noticed, because he suddenly said: "Enough demonstrating! Let's have a volunteer pair. Potter. Weasley. How about you?"

"Weasley's wand causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending Potter to the hospital wing in a matchbox. Mind if I choose someone from my own house? Malfoy, perhaps?" and then he pointed to the boy and Draco got up on the stage.

Both boys bowed and, before Lockhart had finished counting, Malfoy was casting his spell:

"_Everte Statum_!"

Harry fell back with the impact but quickly got up, casting:

"Rictusempra!"

And Draco flew up in the air, falling next to Snape's feet. He pulled the boy up by the shirt and Draco walked back towards Harry and cast:

"_Serpensortia_!"

Then a big black snake was on the stage, raising itself, getting ready to strike. Snape offered to vanish it but Lockhart sent the animal flying up in the air. So the snake got angry, furiously hissing and going towards a Hufflepuff student. Florence got up from her chair staring at that scene, waiting for her husband to do something. But then everybody heard a second hissing sound - and it was coming from Harry. No one in the Great Hall said a word. Snape quickly looked at his wife and then back at Harry. Apparently, the boy was calming the snake down.

Once the animal had stopped hissing and was just staring at Harry, as if waiting for his next order, Snape pointed his wand at it and muttered:

"_Vipera Evanesca_."

And the snake vanished.

* * *

Florence and Snape ran to the Headmaster's office. When they got there Dumbledore had already heard about what had happened at the Dueling Club.

"I had told you so!" Florence shouted at her husband. "I listened to Granger's thoughts that night and I told you that she thought that Harry had heard something."

"I can't understand how this is possible!" Snape looked at Dumbledore.

"I don't understand either." the Headmaster said.

"Of course you don't." Florence murmured sarcastically. "Do you really think it's him who is opening the Chamber of Secrets?" she asked them.

"No. Harry has a good heart, he wouldn't attack muggleborns." said Snape. "Hermione Granger is muggleborn and she's one of his best friends."

"We both know that having muggleborn friends doesn't guarantee a person won't turn against them, Severus." Florence said, angrily.

"Ok, ok. Let's not fight, all right?" said Dumbledore trying to stop them. "No, I don't think Harry is opening the Chamber..."

"What if it's Florence's presence here that is…?" Snape began to ask.

"No. I don't think that's her either." said Dumbledore. "Someone is actually opening the Chamber… Florence I think it would be good if you stayed a couple of days here in the castle, maybe you'll hear someone speaking Parseltongue again…"

"No problem, Dumbledore." she said.

"She'll stay in the dungeons." Snape said.

"But not in you rooms." Dumbledore said.

"But she'll stay in the dungeons." Snape repeated. "I don't want Lockhart anywhere near her. You have no idea how much I want to strangle him just for kissing her hand."

Florence smiled at her husband.

* * *

Two more children were attacked and no one found out who was the attacker.

Florence went back home after two days, for she had nothing else to do in the castle and her kids needed her home.

* * *

**April 1993**

Florence was in Hogwarts, with her husband in his living room. They were talking and enjoying some sweets in front of the lit fireplace.

Suddenly they heard someone knocking insistently on his door.

Florence went to his bedroom to hide and Snape opened the door.

"Severus. A girl's been attacked." McGonagall said, nervously.

"Who?"

"Hermione Granger."

Snape went into his room and quickly got dressed. Florence helped him close all of his buttons and kissed him before he left.

* * *

Three days had passed since Hermione's attack and Florence hadn't heard one single word being whispered in Parseltongue. But Dumbledore asked her to stay in the castle for a few more days anyway. She went home every day in the morning to see her two younger children and came back to the castle after lunch.

* * *

Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter were outside, enjoying the sun and trying to make their History assignment when they saw Snape and Florence walk by.

"Why do you think they spend so much time together?" asked Ron.

"Prof. Dumbledore said she's here to help him make the potion that will bring everybody back to normal. Haven't you listened to him saying that yesterday morning?" Harry answered.

"Yes, but…"

"But, what?"

"They're always together. All the time."

"What do you mean, Ron?"

"What if they are… you know… _together_ together."

"Snape and her?" Harry laughed. "Never! You're really nuts, Ron."

"Why not? She's really gorgeous and he's, well… he's Snape, but… maybe she likes dungeons' bats."

"Stop thinking such nonsenses and focus on your History of Magic assignment. If Hermione were here she'd be laughing her head off for what you just said."

"If she were here I'd have finished this stupid assignment already!"

"You mean to say that you'd have copied hers."

"We really need her back, Harry." Ron murmured.

"And we will have her back. Soon." Harry tried to cheer his friend up. "Now, let's go to the library and finish this."

And they went into the castle.

* * *

**May 1993**

Finally the petrified students and cat and ghost were all going to be unpetrified. The potion had been made and Pomfrey was going to administer it that afternoon.

Florence was at home, waiting for her husband to arrive with the news. Liz and Chris were already sleeping and she was sitting in the living room, watching some cartoons on TV. But she ended up falling asleep on the couch.

* * *

As soon as he walked out of the fireplace, Snape saw her sleeping on the couch. He walked towards her and touched her face.

"Flor, wake up." he murmured, kissing her neck.

She blinked and sat up quickly when she saw him.

"You're finally home!" she stretched and yawned. "What time is it?"

"3 a.m." he said, sitting beside her on the couch.

"3 a.m?!" she exclaimed and then looked at her husband knowing that something bad must have happened. "What happened?"

"Ginevra Weasley has been writing on some magical diary since the beginning of the term. That diary was your father's. And it was a horcrux."

"A _horcrux_?" she repeated not believing what she had heard. "Who would ever give such an evil thing to a child?"

"Lucius. According to Harry, Lucius Malfoy put the diary inside Ginevra's cauldron one day at the Flourish &amp; Blotts. That diary had been hypnotizing her and she was the one who was opening the Chamber and setting the monster free. The monster was a basilisk, by the way."

"A basilisk! Will Hogwarts be closed now? How will Dumbledore get rid of it?"

"The basilisk is dead." murmured Snape.

"What? How?"

"Ginevra was taken as hostage by the monster and locked into the Chamber of Secrets."

"But wasn't she the one controlling it?"

"Not exactly. The diary was using her magic to become more independent. And earlier this evening, your father - or the memory of him that was in the diary, was able to get out of the diary and control the basilisk himself…"

"So the person I heard speaking Parseltogue was my father?"

"Yes."

"That's really weird… but what happened to Ginny? Is she ok?"

"Yes, she'll spend the night in the hospital wing but she's fine. Nothing serious happened to her." Snape was clearly not telling her something.

"What happened to Harry?" Florence asked, noticing her husband's reluctance in talking about the boy.

"He found the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets…"

"Oh, no."

"And he fought against the basilisk."

"Oh my Merlin! Someone has to give that boy limits!" she exclaimed. "If he had been raised by us, he'd be grounded for a year!"

"No, because he would still be grounded for the Philosopher's Stone episode, remember?"

"Yes. There is that too. So he'd be grounded for at least 2 years!"

"Anyway, there's more… he saved Ginevra and killed the basilisk with Godric Gryffindor's sword. But one of the basilisk's fangs pierced his arm…"

"Oh, no!"

"But Fawkes saved him."

"Fawkes?"

"She also damaged the basilisk's eyes so it couldn't kill or petrify Harry."

Florence just stared at her husband for a while, not sure what to say.

"Poor Harry." she finally said, sighing. "Now he's in the hospital wing again, with no one there by his side, while Ginny Weasley probably has all of her family there fussing over her."

"You don't have to worry about that, Flor. Molly Weasley is fussing over him enough already. She's taken him under her wing."

"Well, that's good." she smiled.

But he noticed that it wasn't a full smile.

"I know that you wanted to be there. I know that you wanted to be the one taking care of him… but you can't. It's difficult for me as well… I can't show I care for the boy, I have to pretend that I hate him in front of everybody."

"I know… I just wanted him to know that he's not alone. He has a family. He should have been raised within our family."

"Stop blaming yourself, love." he hugged her.

"I don't blame myself. I blame Dumbledore." she said, staring at the fireplace with hate in her eyes.

"Don't do that." Snape asked, softly.

"What?" she looked at him, confused.

"Don't look at anything with hate in your eyes. You look a lot like your father when you do that. It's unnerving."

She smiled a true smile this time.

"Well, everybody is fine, that's all that matters." she said.

"Not everybody. Lockhart was transferred to St. Mungus. He's lost his memory, completely. And permanently."

"How did that happen?" she asked chuckling.

"He tried to leave Harry and Ron inside the Chamber of Secrets. Just don't ask me why he was in there with them, I have no idea. Anyway, Lockhart tried to obliviate the boys with Ronald's broken wand. It backfired and he lost his memory instead."

"That's awesome!" she laughed.

"I agree with you." he got up from the couch. "I'm beat. All I want is to take a shower and then go to bed. Chris and Liz are sleeping already?"

"Yes. Try not to wake them; if they see you, they will want to sleep with us."

Florence magically unlit the fireplace and they walked upstairs.


	48. Chapter 48

**Chapter Forty-eight**

**Black**

**August 1993**

**11 p.m.**

Remus and Sirius were waiting for someone inside of the Hog's Head.

"I've missed this." Sirius said pointing to the cheap firewhisky in his glass. Then he looked at the door. "Why is he taking so long to get here? I bet he's doing it on purpose!"

"I don't know." said Remus, worried.

But then the front door opened and Snape walked in.

"Look, there he is." Remus said, and the relief was clear in his voice.

Snape walked towards them.

"Thirteen years I haven't seen you and you haven't changed your clothes yet." said Sirius.

"And you're looking better than the last time I saw you. The prison did you good." Snape replied in a bored tone. "I had a... problem to solve before coming here." and he almost smiled as he remembered Elizabeth asking him to teach her how to properly hold her wand and cast some simple spells. She'd be going to Beauxbatons in a few days. He still couldn't believe that.

"What could have been so important?" growled Sirius. "Any minute I'm here someone may recognize me and I could get caught!"

Snape stared at Sirius for a while and then he looked at Remus.

"As he's not trying to kill me I'm right to assume that you haven't told him anything."

"No. I thought you were the right one to tell him." said Remus. "Or maybe Florence should."

"What should I know?" asked Sirius. "And what does Florence have to do with him?" he pointed at Snape.

"Oh, nothing of importance. She's my wife now, that's all." Snape said.

Sirius looked startled for a moment but then he literally jumped on Snape, punching him.

"Stupid bastard! I'll kill you! You don't deserve her! She's mine!" Sirius screamed.

"Stop that!" Remus shouted.

"She'll never be yours! Dirty mutt!" Snape had his wand on Sirius' throat. "She's my wife!"

"You were never man enough to make her happy!" Sirius shouted, still trying to punch Snape's face.

"OUT!" Aberforth came running and screaming at them. "Get out of my bar right now!"

Remus grabbed Sirius by the coat and dragged him outside. Snape put his wand inside his coat and followed them after leaving one galleon on the table. They walked towards the woods and stopped by some rocks.

"When did they marry?" Sirius asked.

"About two months after you got arrested. Do you want to tell him, Severus?"

"There's nothing to tell. Florence is my wife now and we owe him no explanations, Remus."

"Hey, since when do you call each other by your first names?" Sirius was furious.

Both man ignored his question.

"Let's find a place to hide him so I can go home." Snape said.

"Yes. Let's." Remus answered.

And the three of them walked into the Forbidden Forest.

* * *

They were walking deep into the woods, Snape in front of them while Black and Remus were talking:

"How could you let him marry her?" Sirius asked. "The boys are in danger now, Remus! Hell, you should've married her, not him!"

"He's the father of her kids and you know that. They're united by The Enchantment, you know that too! And I'm a werewolf! How safer would the children really be, Sirius?" Remus paused and looked down at the ground. "And I'd appreciate if you talked about anything other than Florence."

"But he's... damn it!" Sirius kicked the ground and destroyed some rocks along the way with a wand Snape had given him. "Stupid Snivellus..." he mumbled.

They heard Snape trying to muffle a chuckle.

Sirius pointed the wand to his back and cast:

"_Expelliarmus._"

But Snape turned around quickly and send the spell back. Sirius' wand flew from his hand. And Snape kept on walking without a word.

"He could have killed you!" Remus said giving the wand back to Sirius. "Stop being childish! Grow up already!"

"I've spent twelve years in prison, Remus. I'm just going through a social adaptation process."

"Stop that! We've survived the war so far, we are here, don't you think you should forgive Severus for being here as well?"

"You don't really believe someday I might be friends with him, do you?" Sirius asked pointing at Snape. "He hates us!"

"And you tried to kill him when we were at school!"

Sirius didn't reply.

And they followed Snape in silence.

* * *

Once they found a big enough cave, they went inside, lit a fire pit and ate some food that Snape had taken with him.

Then the three man sat silent, just staring at the fire.

Snape was thinking about his family. Just that morning he had seen his wife and children but he already missed them. He closed his eyes. Liz would be going to Beauxbatons soon and after August only Christopher would be home. _It is time to make more babies._ He thought, smiling.

"Look at him." Sirius whispered to Remus. "He's probably thinking about her."

"She's his wife, Sirius. He can think about her all he wants. You're the one who shouldn't be thinking about Florence at all."

Sirius didn't reply.

Remus could see the pain in his friend's face. And how fate could be ironic. Sirius mocked Snape during all their years in Hogwarts and Remus never did a thing to stop those confrontations. Now the two men had the same woman in mind, but her heart had always belonged to only one of them.

* * *

**In the next morning**

Snape woke up and saw Remus still sleeping. Sirius was nowhere to be seen.

"Remus, wake up! Where's the dog?"

"What?" Remus sat up and looked around. "Oh, no. Do you think someone caught him?"

"No. They'd have arrested us as well. Where the hell is the stupid mutt?"

"We could wait here. Maybe he'll come back soon."

And they waited until past 10 p.m.

Sirius didn't return.

Remus and Snape went looking for him but didn't find any clue of his whereabouts.

They Disapparated to Hogsmeade and Snape found a Daily Prophet of that day in a trash can.

"There's nothing here about him getting caught." said Snape, putting the newspaper back where he had found it.

"What will we do now, Severus?"

"There's not much we can do, Remus." he sighed and looked at the empty streets. "Look, since we're here and Black is missing, would you mind if we spent the night in my house?"

"Of course not. But we must warn Dumbledore."

"We'll go to the castle tomorrow morning."

They walked through the village and fifteen minutes later they were at Snape's house.

Snape touched his wand to the door and it opened. The house was silent. Everybody was sleeping already.

"Tiffany." Snape called.

"Master Snape!" the little elf said. "Mistress Florence will be so happy to see you home already, sir!"

"Is Flor asleep?"

"Yes." said Tiffany. "Mistress Florence, Mistress Liz and little Master Chris are already sleeping."

"Ok. Remus is spending the night here, take him to one of the guests rooms. And I need breakfast to be served early tomorrow."

"No problem, Master. Mr. Lupin, follow me, please." and Tiffany led Remus upstairs.

Snape gave his dirty cloak to their other elf, Mellody, and took a deep breath, looking around his house. He smiled and walked upstairs. As he passed by Elizabeth's bedroom he could see Chris sleeping beside his sister. Liz had a book beside her and Chris slept with his head on his sister's lap. Snape went into the room, took the book from the bed and put both children in a more comfortable position. He kissed their heads and went to his own room.

When he opened the door, he saw his beautiful wife sleeping, hugging a pillow. He smiled and went to the bathroom. After showering, he went to bed, holding Florence in his arms, pulling her to his chest. He kissed her lips softly and smelled her perfume. He closed his eyes and sighed. He was home.


	49. Chapter 49

**Chapter Forty-nine**

**Rats!**

In the next morning, Florence woke up and felt an arm around her waist - too heavy to be Chris' or Liz's. So she turned around expecting to see one of the twins there.

"Severus!" she exclaimed when she saw her husband.

"Good morning, Flor..." he murmured, opening his eyes.

"I can't believe you're home already! I thought it would take you at least a week to find somewhere safe for Sirius..."

"And it would have taken a week, but he vanished. Black ran away from us in the middle of the night, so we came to sleep here; Remus is in the guest room. We have to go to the castle this morning to talk to Dumbledore."

"After that you'll stay at home until the classes begin?"

"Yes." he kissed her. "But now I must have breakfast and go to the castle. I'll stay there to organize my things this afternoon but I'll be home for dinner." he got up and walked into their walk-in closet to get some clothes.

"I'll ask Tiffany to prepare for dinner that lasagna you love." Florence got up and went after him. He had already put his pants on when she entered the closet. She helped him close his shirt and kissed his lips softly.

He held her closer, the kiss becoming deeper and more demanding. One of his hands found its way under her nightgown. Florence fisted one hand in his hair and with the other she began to unfasten the buttons of the shirt that they had just fastened. She kissed and licked his neck.

"Flor, stop…"

"No… I want you, now!"

"But I have to leave."

"You're right, you have to leave, but you won't!" and with one movement of her hands his shirt was on the floor and his pants disappeared.

Florence took her nightgown off and stood almost naked in front of him.

Snape grabbed her by the waist and took her to bed while ravaging her mouth. Florence lay down in the middle of their bed. He took his wand from the nightstand, casting a Muffliato and locking the bedroom door. He put his wand back where it had been and stared at the woman on the bed.

"You're so beautiful." he whispered.

Florence smiled and slowly took her panties off, staring at him while she slid the piece of clothing down her legs, teasing him.

Snape felt his dick jerk.

"Open your legs for me." he ordered with a commanding voice.

She obeyed.

He took his own underwear off and kneeled on the bed, putting his body on top of hers, between her sprawled legs.

His mouth went to her breasts, his hand kneading one nipple as his teeth tortured the other.

Florence gasped and moaned his name.

"Oh, stop… please." she begged, her head thrown back, her eyes closed, her mouth open, a soft pink color on her cheeks.

He only stopped after having tortured both her nipples, leaving them red and sensitive. His lips moved up to her neck, giving her skin tiny stinging kisses. One thumb slowly caressing her left nipple. His other hand going down her belly, one finger sliding deep inside of her. Her pussy was absolutely drenched, twitching, aching for something to fill it.

"Fuck me!" she pleaded. "Do it, Sev. Now!"

He stopped his torturing moves and yanked her arms above her head, holding them down to the mattress as he thrust into her, forcing his entrance as deep as possible, making her take every inch of his dick.

Florence gasped at his intrusion.

"Wrap your legs around my waist." he ordered and again she obeyed, locking her legs around him and pushing against him in desperate need.

"Move!" she ordered.

"Shh. Behave yourself." he whispered starting to move his hips in a slow maddening way.

"No!" she nearly shouted. "You're too slow! Harder!"

Suddenly he jerked his hips forward, slamming his body into hers, driving deep. Florence screamed in pleasure, her back arching off the bed, her body melting beneath his. Then he pistoned his hips, never stopping, never giving her time to breath.

Florence breathlessly gasped his name, writhing under him, her legs locked tight around his waist. And then she was coming, her body shuddering with her orgasm, her slick channel clamping down on his member and he couldn't control neither the groan that left his lips nor his body anymore. Jet after jet of cum erupted from his dick, soaking her channel.

After a while, Snape rolled them over on the bed, pulling her head to his chest; his fingers in her hair, lazily massaging her scalp.

"I'm so late now…" he whispered and yawned. "And I couldn't care less." he finished with a smile.

"So don't go to the castle right now." Florence murmured, kissing his chest.

"If I could…" he sighed. "Unfortunately, you married a responsible man." he kissed her lips softly and got up from the bed. "I really have to go. Dumbledore must be warned that Black is missing." he started to get dressed again.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, they were both dressed and walking downstairs. The kids were already at the table having breakfast.

"Morning mom and dad!" exclaimed Liz, Chris and the twins.

"When did you get here, dad?" James asked. "You said you would be gone for a few days on a mission or something..."

"I arrived last night. Things didn't go quite as planned" Snape looked at one of their house-elves. "Melody, where is Remus?"

"He's already up, Master Snape, but still upstairs."

"Tell him to come down here and have breakfast with us." Snape sat at the head of the table and little Christopher jumped to his lap. "Chris, do you want to come to Hogwarts with me?"

"Yes!" the little boy shouted happily, accepting the piece of toast his father was giving him.

"Me too!" said Elizabeth.

"You know you can't go, Liz." Florence said.

"Christopher is the only one of you that I can take with me." Snape reminded his daughter.

"But you'll probably spend the day in your office!" Elizabeth whined. "Why can't I go? Your lab in the castle is so cool!"

"Sorry, Liz. You're not going." Snape said.

"But…"

"Liz, you look too much like your dad, if anyone saw you two together they'd know." said Florence. "It's for safety reasons that you can't go, love."

The girl looked outraged and left the table, walking upstairs stomping her feet.

No one said a word. Florence just smiled at her husband. They were all used to Elizabeth's angry fits.

* * *

After he had left the cave where Remus and Snape were, Sirius walked for a while. He couldn't tell them what he intended to do, he knew Remus wouldn't agree with his plans. But Sirius knew a place where he could hide and no one would find him.

So he walked for nearly an entire day, in his animagus form. Then he arrived at Hogsmeade, stopping for some minutes in front of Florence's house. He knew she was home, he could see her through an upstairs window. He sighed. He knew she had never been his, but he couldn't stop thinking that he had lost her forever. He kept on walking for a few more blocks, always hiding himself when he noticed someone was around. And then he finally arrived at his destination. He ignored the sign that said NO TRESPASSING and walked the long path towards his well-known Shrieking Shack.

* * *

**September 1993**

**Friday**

Snape arrived home late. Christopher and Florence were not downstairs. He walked into the kitchen and found Tiffany there.

"Tiffany, serve me my dinner in the bedroom." he said.

"Right now, Master." the elf answered and quickly began preparing a tray.

He walked upstairs and heard Florence's soft voice. The door to Christopher's bedroom was open, he peeked inside and saw her there reading Chris a book and the boy, all tucked in on the bed, was trying to not fall asleep. He didn't walk into the room, if he did that his son would want to talk and play and he was too tired that night. Tomorrow he'd spend the day with his son, but he needed to rest first.

* * *

Snape had already showered and was having dinner when Florence entered their room.

"Good night, Sev." she kissed his lips and sat on the bed.

"It took Chris a long time to fall asleep." said Snape.

"Yes. He was sad because the twins are not at home so much anymore, but now he's really upset that Liz is away." Florence covered herself with the soft duvet. "Why did you arrive so late?"

"The castle is a mess. The aurors are there and the Ministry sent dementors to patrol the school grounds."

"And Hogsmeade as well." Florence said. "I went for a walk with Chris this afternoon and I heard people mentioning it in the stores. No one is happy about it."

"Some people are saying that Black is after Harry." said Snape.

"Well, it's obvious that he'd want to see his godson, don't you think? I was asking myself the other day why hasn't he come here yet. He'll probably show up here someday asking for the twins."

Snape growled, clearly disapproving of Sirius' presence in that house.

"The thing is," he continued. "Some are saying that he wants to find Harry to end what he began twelve years ago."

"What? They're saying Sirius wants to kill Harry? But we both know that's not possible. Sirius didn't kill James and Lily, we know Pettigrew was the Secret-Keeper."

"But no one else knows that besides us, Remus and Dumbledore. The aurors from Azkaban said that Black kept repeating 'He's in Hogwarts. He's in Hogwarts' on his last days in prison."

"That's odd. But it doesn't mean he's out to kill Harry. He could be talking about you, as far as we know."

"I've thought about that, Flor. But I'm not his target, otherwise he'd have tried something the other day… I just don't understand why he's run from us. Whatever it is that he wants in Hogwarts, he could have asked for help instead of running."

"I don't understand that either. But we know this is not the first time he hides something from us. He lied about being the Potter's Secret-Keeper, after all."

"Remus is afraid Black might be crazy… that he may be believing that he did kill the Potters after all these years locked up in Azkaban…."

"But you said Sirius looked fine."

"He did look like a man that had been in prison, but he didn't sound like a lunatic to me."

"Let's hope that you're right and he's not crazy. Otherwise..." began Florence, worried.

"We'll have to kill him." finished Snape.

* * *

**October 1993**

The castle's security had been reinforced. Aurors were in the corridors and hundreds of dementors were guarding the grounds.

Remus and Snape kept Florence informed of everything that happened in the castle. But nothing serious happened besides someone trying to enter the Gryffindor common room. According to the Fat Lady, it had been Sirius Black. But, other than the painting, no one saw him and no one got hurt.

* * *

**February 1994**

Florence woke up and went to her son's bedroom. Christopher was still sleeping. She stared at him for a while. He was the first of their children to not have black hair. His hair was like hers. Actually he was Florence's male version. Dumbledore once said that little Chris looked just like Florence's father. She told him that she hadn't liked that comparison, for Chris was a loving caring kid. But the Headmaster rephrased it, saying that he had meant that physically Chris was a lot like his grandfather, but not in character.

She shook her head and stopped thinking about her father and then she kissed Chris' cheek. The boy slowly woke up. He could look a lot like his grandfather but the way he moved, walked and talked were exactly like his father's.

"Good morning, mommy." he said, smiling a sleepy smile.

"Morning, love." she hugged him. "Let's go downstairs to have breakfast. Soon your grandma will be arriving and we'll go to Diagon Alley."

"Will you give me a broom?" the boy's green eyes sparkled in excitement. "Dad said I could have a new one."

"Yes. You can have a new broom, baby."

"I'm not a baby." he complained.

Florence smiled and helped him get dressed.

They walked downstairs and sat at the table to have breakfast. Florence looked at that big table every day and missed her children and her husband a lot. She wasn't used to not having them at home. She should have been used to the empty house already, but she wasn't.

"There's a letter for Mistress Florence." said Melody.

"Thanks, Mel." Florence said as she got the letter from the elf. It was from Remus.

_Flor,_

_You won't believe it! Peter is alive! As I write to you I'm staring at the Marauder's Map and there he is! He must have been hiding in his animal form all of this years. There are a lot of rats in the dungeons here in the castle, it'd be easy for him to hide. That's who Sirius is after! That's why he was saying 'He's in Hogwarts' when he was in Azkaban! I just haven't figured it out yet how Sirius discovered that Pettigrew was alive and in the castle. Do you have any idea how this might have happened? _

_Remus._

Florence really had no idea how Sirius could have known about Pettigrew being alive and in Hogwarts. No one would have ever imagined that. And Sirius couldn't have visitors in Azkaban; the only way he could learn anything about the world was through some Daily Prophet that the aurors might have given him. _But if any news about Pettigrew had been published we would have known._She thought. She finished her breakfast and decided to look at some of the old editions of the Daily Prophets that she had at home before leaving for a walk at Diagon Alley with Chris and Eileen.

* * *

It didn't take her long to find it. There Pettigrew was, in a big picture showing the Weasleys' family trip to Egypt. The old rat in Ronald Weasley's hand, it had to be Pettigrew. Florence ripped the picture from the newspaper and send it with a letter to Remus:

_Remus_

_Look at this picture; someone might have given the Daily Prophet for Sirius and he recognized Pettigrew. _

_Keep an eye on Harry, please. If I'm not mistaken, Ronald Weasley is his best friend._

_Florence._

* * *

**May 1994**

Florence was in the living room, waiting for her husband, as she used to do at least twice every term. The clock on the wall showed 3 a.m.. She was nervous; she had paced the room a hundred times already.

She sat down and turned the TV on. She was watching some cartoons and almost falling asleep when the flames in the fireplace turned green and Dumbledore walked out of them.

" What happened?" she almost shouted, jumping out of the couch, her heart beating madly.

"Severus is fine, my dear. But Sirius has been captured and he wants to see you one last time. Before…"

"They're going to kill him." she murmured.

"Yes. The Minister is on his way and the dementors are ready…"

"I'll get dressed." she said and ran upstairs trying not to make too much noise.

The twins were home, they had arrived there earlier that day and so had Elizabeth. James was in the corridor when Florence walked out from her room.

" Mom, what's happening? Where are you going?"

"I'll just go to the castle…"

" Is dad ok?" asked Elizabeth appearing on her bedroom door.

"Yes, dear. He is fine, I just…" she couldn't tell them, the twins would want to go with her. "I must go. You two," she pointed the twins. "You look after your younger siblings. I'll be back soon." and she left the house with the Headmaster through the Floo Network.

* * *

Sirius was going to be brought from the Dark Tower to some of the empty rooms near the hospital wing. Florence was in the corridor, by the hospital wing door when Snape walked out from the infirmary.

"Florence…?" he asked, confused for seeing her there. "What are you doing here?"

"Sirius was caught and he wishes to see me before…"

"I know." he said. She was crying and he couldn't hug her, not there. In the castle, he was the insensitive Potions Masters, the cruel dungeons' bat. He couldn't show any emotion.

"Are you ok?" Florence asked. "You're hurt…" she touched his forehead.

"I'll survive."

Then Dumbledore was walking towards them.

"Headmaster." Snape said. "There's still a way. As I recall, Miss Granger has a Time-Turner and she is authorized by the Ministry to use it inside Hogwarts' grounds. You could talk to her and…"

"Of course!" exclaimed Dumbledore. "That's an amazing idea, Severus! And maybe more than one innocent life can be spared!" the old man looked at Florence. "Apparently you came here for nothing, dear. Go home to your kids." he looked at them both when he said that.

"What does he mean?" Florence asked watching the Headmaster walk into the infirmary. "What were you talking about? How does Granger have a Time-Turner?"

"Black is in the Dark Tower, the tallest tower of the castle. Dumbledore is probably talking about Buckbeak. Granger will save the hippogriff and with it she'll save Black."

"And the Time-Turner?"

"Granger is doing thirteen classes this term. She uses the Time-Turner to attend two classes at the same time. All teachers were aware of that and the Ministry has approved it."

Florence just looked at her husband and sighed.

"I'm glad everything will turn out ok." she wiped away the tears that had fallen. "You know that you just saved Sirius' life, don't you?"

Snape didn't say a thing.

Dumbledore came out of the hospital wing, closing the door behind him.

"Hermione and Harry have just left and…"

Suddenly Harry and Hermione appeared in the corridor and ran towards them.

"We made it, Headmaster!" said Hermione.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Miss Granger." Dumbledore smiled and winked at the girl.

Florence and Snape walked with Dumbledore to his office and by Floo they went home.

* * *

When they walked out of the fireplace, they found all of their kids in the living room, waiting for them.

"Dad!" they all shouted and ran towards their father when they saw his bandaged head.

"I'm fine." Snape said.

"You're hurt!" Elizabeth screamed.

"It's nothing, Liz." Snape said.

"HEY!" Florence shouted and all the kids stopped talking. "Your father is fine. Let him go, he needs to shower and sleep. And you should all be sleeping already."

"But, mom, we were worried…" Nicholas said.

"Ok, I can understand that." Florence said. "But, now, let your father go, kids."

They all walked upstairs and to their respective bedrooms.

Florence changed into some comfortable nightgown while Snape showered. After that, they went to bed.

"Pettigrew was really alive and hiding in his animagus form for all these years…" Snape said.

"Where is he? Did you catch him?"

"No." Snape sighed. "He escaped. Black took Ronald Weasley to the Shrieking Shack because the boy had Pettigrew on his hands. Harry and Miss Granger followed him. Remus went after them and so did I. They made Pettigrew transform back into human but Harry didn't let them kill him. After that, we all left the Shack with Pettigrew in cuffs, but when we walked out of the Whomping Willow – where there is a passage from the school to the Shrieking Shack, Remus transformed into a werewolf… he had forgotten to take his potion. So Black transformed into a dog and fought the werewolf."

"But didn't you have any plans?"

"Yes. I had something planned with Remus. We were going to simulate that Black had escaped and then we'd give Pettigrew to the dementors. But everything went down because of Remus…"

"But everything is fine now, right? Harry is safe and Sirius is free."

"Pettigrew is free too, Florence. And according to Trelawney's new Prophecy he is going to help your father get back into power."

"That's not good." she murmured.

"I know… but we knew it would happen someday."

Florence just nodded and laid her head down on his chest and they both fell asleep.


	50. Chapter 50

**Chapter Fifty**

**The New Order Of The Phoenix**

**July 1994**

**Grimmauld Place no. 12**

It had been years since the last time Florence was in that house. She walked into the kitchen and found Kreatcher. The ugly little elf got really happy when he saw her. She had arrived alone. Snape was going to go with Dumbledore.

"Flor." Sirius appeared at the kitchen door, smiling.

"Sirius." she said going towards him and hugging him. "I'm so glad to see you well."

"Me too. You're looking even more beautiful than I remembered."

The sound of a throat being cleared made them both look at the kitchen door. Snape was there.

"Snivellus." said Sirius.

Snape didn't reply.

"Are you feeling all right?" he asked Florence, putting a hand on her stomach.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm not sick, Severus."

"You're pregnant?" Sirius asked looking at her belly.

"Yes. Almost two months already. But no one can know."

"So you won't tell the others that you two are..." Sirius began.

"No." Florence and Snape answered.

"There you are!" exclaimed Dumbledore entering the kitchen, going towards Florence. "Severus has told me the news." the old man said in a low tone and touched her belly. "I'm really happy for you, dear. One more baby..." the headmaster focused on feeling the kid's magic. "And this is a strong one, just like all the others." he smiled.

"All the others?" asked Sirius. "How many children do you have?"

"Four. This is number five." Florence answered.

Sirius just stared at her and then he looked at Snape who had a self-satisfied smile on his face.

Molly Weasley walked into the kitchen.

"Hi, I think we haven't met. I'm Molly Weasley." she hugged Florence.

"Pleased to meet you, Molly. I'm Florence Delacour."

"Do you mind giving me a hand here in the kitchen, Florence? The roast beef is almost ready but I still have to make the salad and that bloody house elf is good for nothing!"

"Sure. I'll help you."

"We'll leave you two to it, then." said Dumbledore guiding Snape and Sirius out of the kitchen.

The two women started to work together. Molly said what she wanted for the salad and Florence helped, cutting and slicing vegetables and fruits.

"I think the roast beef is ready." Molly said, taking the huge piece of meat out of the oven.

Florence looked at it and felt nauseated.

"Excuse me, Molly..." and she ran to the bathroom.

As she passed the dining room, Snape saw her and then he followed her to the bathroom. He knocked on the door.

"Just a minute." Florence said, the noises from inside the bathroom indicating she was washing her mouth. She opened the door. "Severus." she sighed. "I don't think I'll be able to eat the roast beef."

He smiled and gave her a small vial with an anti-nausea potion. She quickly drank it.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you."

Molly showed up in the corridor.

"There you are, Florence. Are you ok? What happened?"

Florence looked at her husband and he nodded unperceptively.

"I'm pregnant, Molly."

"That's great!" Molly shouted, hugging her again. "Are you married, dear?"

"No, Molly. Would you mind if I stopped helping you? I don't think I can get anywhere near that roast beef tonight."

"No problem. You go sit in the living room and relax. Just stay away from the curtains. I haven't had time to clean those yet."

"I'll lead you there, Miss Delacour." Snape said, offering her his arm.

"Thank you."

And they walked to the living room, where all the others were. Florence sat on the couch. Snape walked towards Dumbledore. They had to stay away from each other, otherwise someone could notice that they were more than friends.

* * *

Sirius wouldn't stop staring at her.

"What are you looking at, mutt?" Snape growled in a low tone so that just Sirius heard.

"I'm just admiring how beautiful Miss Delacour is." Sirius replied. "And remembering how amazing we were together, Flor and I."

"Shut up, dog, or I'll rip out your tongue!"

"Hey!" Dumbledore called their attention. "You two better stop that." then he looked at the others and said: "Your attention, please." everybody got quiet. "Let's begin this meeting, shall we? First I think I must explain to you all why I've asked you to come here tonight. After what happened a few months ago…"

"What happened, Dumbledore?" asked Molly.

"For those of you who don't know it yet, Peter Pettigrew is still alive. Sirius didn't kill him as we all had thought. The problem is, Pettigrew has escaped and a new Prophecy was made."

"A new Prophecy?" asked most of the people there.

"This new Prophecy says that a servant will help his master to recover its powers. I believe this is about Pettigrew and Voldemort…" everybody started to speak at the same time. "Silence! That's why I called you here! As some of you may already know, I founded a secret organization many years ago called The Order of The Phoenix. We fought against Voldemort and his Death Eaters. You probably know that most of the first members ended up dead or incapacitated somehow. So I come before you all tonight to invite you to be part of The New Order of The Phoenix. If you prefer not to help me or if you don't believe me when I say that the Dark Lord will be back, you're free to enjoy a delicious meal with us tonight and not join the Order. If you wish to join me, I thank you and hope we don't have the same fate of the Original Order of The Phoenix. Now, let's eat!"

* * *

After dinner, Florence was the first to go home. Snape waited a bit longer and then followed his wife. As he walked out of the fireplace at home, he saw Florence in the kitchen.

"You're eating, again?" he asked with a chuckle, walking into the kitchen.

"I'm desperate for something sweet…" she said, mixing something in a small pot.

"What are you making?" he asked, hugging her from behind, his hands over her belly.

"Chocolate pudding."

"Will you share it?" he murmured, kissing her shoulder.

"Maybe…" she smiled and mixed the pudding a bit more. "It's ready. Let's eat it in the bedroom!"

"Let's run before the kids smell it!" he said, taking two spoons.

They went upstairs quickly.

They showered while the dessert was cooling. After they got dressed, they sat on the bed and began eating it.

"It surprised me the fact that you managed to spend the whole night near Sirius and you didn't try to kill him." Florence said, eating.

"Dumbledore stopped me."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Nope." he shook his head. "Black wouldn't stop staring at you. It annoyed me. I told him to stop but he didn't… so I threatened him and Dumbledore intervened."

Florence let some chocolate fall on her finger on purpose.

"So Sirius was looking at me and you got jealous…" she said.

"Yes." he admitted and looked at what she was doing to her fingers, licking and suckling on them to get the chocolate pudding out. "I don't want him looking at you… no one should look at you the way he was looking."

"And _how_ exactly was he looking at me?"

"With desire…" his voice sounded rough with desire. His hand went into the pot and one finger covered in chocolate came out of it and was pointed at her lips. Her eyes sparkled and she leaned to capture his finger with her lips, his eyes never leaving her mouth and the finger she was fellating.

Snape picked up the pot with his other hand and put it on the nightstand. He removed his finger from her lips and sat on the bed with his back against the headboard.

"Come here." he ordered.

Florence kneeled on the bed, stared at him and took her nightgown off, throwing it on the floor. She crawled to him, sitting on his lap, straddling his waist.

Snape dipped his finger in the chocolate pudding once more and put it on her lips.

"Suck it." he ordered.

Florence shuddered with need. She loved when he bossed her around like that. She did as he had ordered. Slowly licking all over his finger and biting on the tip. He took his finger from her mouth and his hand went behind her neck, pulling her face to him, kissing her lips passionately, tasting the chocolate on her lips. Her hands fisted in his hair, her hips moving over his still covered dick. He held her hips down, making her stop. He stopped the kiss and Florence stared at him. He took his shirt off and she attacked his neck, biting and licking his chest, going lower. Her hands pulling his sweatpants down, freeing his hard dick. She reached over the nightstand and grabbed a dollop of chocolate pudding, smearing it all over his member. His eyes were fixed on her face. Florence licked him from his balls to the flared head and he couldn't stop the hoarse moan that left his throat. She swirled her tongue over the head, cleaning him from all the chocolate and precum.

Florence could feel him pulsing against her tongue. She had him at her mercy; that powerful wizard, groaning, lost in pleasure, because of her. She sucked him hard and his hips began moving and his hands went to her hair, controlling her, tugging at her scalp, sending delicious little currents of electricity down her body, making her moan with his dick in her mouth. She rubbed her tongue on the sensitive spot on the underside at the head of his member. His breath hitched in his lungs and he used her hair to pull her away from his cock.

"Stop!" Snape growled pulling her towards him, forcing her to sit on his dick again, straddling his waist; his hands holding her hips. They stared at each other for a moment and then, without taking her eyes off his face Florence pushed down and he thrust up, sliding his dick inside her wet, hot channel. She started to ride him.

Florence could feel her body turning into liquid fire as she sat on him and his cock hit all of her sensitive spots.

He bent his head to her breast and suckled on her nipple for a moment, before biting down, leaving his mark on her body. She moaned louder, grabbing his hair tighter.

He gripped her hips harder, thrusting up, going deeper, listening to her cries of pleasure, her gasps, feeling the way her slick channel throbbed around him, her body moving over his, her breasts bouncing against his chest. He began to piston into her. Florence started to shout his name, sitting down harder on him, making him go even deeper inside her body. And then her hands were on his shoulders, her nails digging in his flesh, her head thrown back, her lips parted, his name leaving them as a mantra. And her body pulsed, her pussy clamping down hard on him, forcing him to come with her, sucking his seed out of him, into her hot body.

As her orgasm faded, Florence dropped her head onto his shoulder, her body still shuddering against his. Snape rolled them to their sides, one arm holding her against his chest. And they fell asleep, their legs entwined.


	51. Chapter 51

**Chapter Fifty-one**

**Quidditch World Cup**

**July 1994**

**One morning at the breakfast table**

"Why can Nick and James go and I can't?" Elizabeth was complaining at the breakfast table. "Please, dad, I want to go! Think of it as my birthday present!"

"Elizabeth, your birthday is only in September." Snape said, sipping his coffee. "Your brothers are going to the Quidditch Cup and you're not."

That talk happened almost every morning. Elizabeth wanted to go to the Quidditch World Cup, but her parents didn't want to let her go. But every morning the girl tried. It was extremely annoying but that wasn't Snape's biggest problem lately. August was getting closer and Florence was nearly finishing the first trimester of her pregnancy and she was already feeling the hormonal alterations. She was completely unstable.

"Where's mommy?" Christopher asked.

Snape sighed and looked at the twins.

"Oh, hell." James said. "It's one of those days…"

"Yes." Snape confirmed. "I should be used to it already but I'm not."

"Did you have a fight?" Nicholas asked.

"Not exactly. But a chair came flying towards my head. I almost didn't escape it."

"Why did mom throw a chair at you?" James asked.

"I have no idea." Snape said, giving Christopher a sandwich.

"Was mom always like this whenever she was pregnant?" Elizabeth asked.

"No. Pomfrey said that when she's expecting a girl, it's normal for Florence to feel more nausea and get more irritated. Therefore we can be almost sure that you'll be having a new sister."

"Not even when mom was expecting us she was like that?" James asked.

Snape put his spoon down and sipped his coffee.

"I wouldn't know how to answer that." he said at last. "But when she was expecting Liz she was completely insufferable."

"Mom said she really hurt you once…" Elizabeth said chuckling.

"You must keep in mind that your mom is half-_veela_ so her magic gets unstable when she's pregnant. And if it's a girl she's expecting, it's even worse."

They heard a noise on the stairs and stopped talking. Florence walked into the kitchen, smiling.

"Good morning, beautiful family!"

Snape stared at his wife, one eyebrow arched.

Florence sat down in the chair on his right.

"What's wrong, Sev?" she asked.

"_What's wrong?_" he repeated. "Five minutes ago you tried to kill me!"

"Oh, please!" Florence started to eat. "It was only a chair, and you were annoying me!"

"Exactly _how_ was I annoying you?"

"Just forget it, ok?" Florence asked.

"Fine. But I still remember the pain for going through that window." murmured Snape.

"Stop it!" Florence tried not to laugh. "How many times will I have to say I'm sorry for throwing you through the window?"

"Wait, wait!" shouted Nicholas.

"You threw dad through the back window?" asked James.

"Yes. But I didn't mean to." said Florence. "Don't you two remember it being broken once?" she asked the twins.

"Yes, but you said it had been the wind." Nicholas said.

"Well, you two were four years old, how did you want me to tell you that I had thrown your dad through the window?"

"Yeah, I'd have thrown Nick through a window on the first opportunity!" James said.

"Mom…" Elizabeth began.

"No, Liz." Florence interrupted. "Your father's already told you no. You're not going to the Qudditch World Cup."

"No one understands me in this house!" Elizabeth shouted and stomped out of the kitchen going upstairs.

"Did you mention I might be expecting a girl?" Florence asked.

"Yes." Snape confirmed.

"Hum… so the jealousy fits have begun." Florence said, before biting down on her toast.

* * *

**August 1994**

**Quidditch World Cup**

James and Nicholas bought a tent and went by themselves to the World Cup.

* * *

Harry, Ron and Hermione were walking through the camps carrying water back to their tent. They walked around looking at the many different people that were there. Some tried to use matches, like Mr. Weasley, while others just lighted their firepits with their wands.

"Is it my eyes or everything turned green?" Ron asked.

They had reached the Irish camping site and Seamus Finnigan had seen them and was calling their names

* * *

The Snape twins were walking by the Irish camping site when they heard a boy calling the names of the famous Gryffindor trio.

"Hey, Nick. Look, Harry is there." James said.

"So we finally get to meet our almost-brother! Let's go talk to him!"

"Do you think that's a good idea? He might run off screaming..."

"Why?" asked Nicholas.

James arched his eyebrow, copying their father, and Nicholas understood.

"Damn, you're right."

* * *

The Golden Trio were almost back to their tent. Hermione could see the tent already and near it she saw that the Weasley twins were talking to two other boys…

"They look just like Prof. Snape!" she said out loud.

"What? Who? Where?" asked Ron looking around.

"Over there, near our tent! Talking to your brothers, Ron!"

"Oh my Merlin!" Ron sounded scared. "_Two_ Snapes? Kill me now!"

"Where do you think they're from?" Harry asked looking at the dark-haired twins.

"They probably study in Durmstrang." Hermione said. "We would have noticed if two copies of Prof. Snape were walking through Hogwarts' corridors."

"Do you think they're related to him?" asked Ron.

"Kind of impossible not to. They look too much like him, only…"_ more handsome_. Hermione thought. She stared at the taller of the two dark-haired twins and felt something move in her stomach.

* * *

They reached the tent and Ron quickly entered it, trying to run away from the Snape twins.

"If Neville were here he'd be screaming." Harry murmured to Hermione.

The girl laughed.

"What took you so long?" George asked Harry.

"The buckets were heavy."

"These are Nicholas and James. We've just met them!" said Fred, hiding the sheet of paper where he was writing all the bets he and his brother had made.

"Why isn't the firepit lit yet?" asked Harry.

"Dad is having fun with the matches…" said George.

They all looked at where Mr. Weasley was surrounded by burnt matches and looking like the happiest man alive.

Hermione walked to him and showed him how to properly light the matchsticks.

James stared at Hermione and the girl blushed furiously and quickly entered the tent.

"Hello. Who are you?" Mr. Weasley came to greet the twins.

"I'm James."

"Nicholas."

"You know, you two look a lot like…" Mr. Weasley began.

"A certain Prof. Snape from Hogwarts." interrupted James, smiling. "We've heard that a lot since we got here."

"Are you here by yourselves?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Yes. Our tent is not far from here." said Nicholas.

"So, boys, Ireland or Bulgaria?" asked Mr. Weasley.

"Ireland." they answered together.

"Where do you study?"

"Durmstrang." James said.

"Oh, and will you two participate in that thing that'll happen this year that I can't talk about?" asked Mr. Weasley.

"No." Nicholas answered, understanding that he was talking about the Triwizard Tournament.

"Our parents didn't allow us to participate." said James.

"Well, they must have their reasons…"

"Yes, they do." James said.

"So you boys can stay here and have dinner with us, can't you?"

The Snape twins looked at each other and nodded.

"Yes, we can." said James.

* * *

During all the time James was around, Hermione was hiding somewhere inside the tent; and during dinner, every time their eyes met, she would blush furiously and look away.

* * *

**The match**

The stairs that gave access to the stadium were covered with a purple carpet. Florence and Snape walked into the Minister's box with Lucius and Narcisa. Cornelius Fudge greeted Narcisa and when his eyes found Florence he kissed her hand and stared at her intensely. The Malfoys, Florence and Snape sat on the first row.

The Weasleys, Harry and Hermione entered the box a few minutes later.

"Isn't that Miss Delacour?" Harry murmured.

"Yes, it's her." Hermione answered.

"She's Snape's friend and she also knows the Malfoys? She can't be a good person." Ron said.

Malfoy saw Mr. Weasley getting into the box and got up to go torment the man.

"Arthur, by Merlin, what did you have to sell to buy seats in the Minister's box? Certainly your house wouldn't worth that much."

But before they could begin a fight, the match started.

* * *

As soon as the match began, Snape cast a Muffliato around him and Florence.

"Hey, I want to hear the game!" Florence complained.

"Did you have to come dressed in a skirt?"

"Did you want me to come without it?" she teased.

"Fudge wouldn't stop staring at your legs." he said between gritted teeth. "Even Lucius was eye-fucking you."

"Why do you care so much who stares at my legs when you know you're the one who'll be between them later?" she whispered.

Snape took the spell down and pretended to watch the game, feeling a very uncomfortable pressure between his legs.

* * *

The game ended with Ireland as the winner, although Krum had captured the Snitch.

* * *

When everybody was leaving the stadium, Florence saw her sons amongst the crowd.

"Jamie, Nick!" she called and they ran towards her. "You have two hours to get home. Enjoy the parties and Apparate home, ok?"

"Ok." they answered together.

"That skirt is beautiful, mom." James said. "Dad must have been furious."

"Well, he wasn't happy." she smiled. "Two hours, boys."

They nodded and she left.

* * *

Florence found Snape and Narcisa near the stadium doors.

"Have you seen Lucius?" Snape asked her as she got near.

"No, I haven't." Florence looked at Narcisa. "Is he really going to…?"

"I don't know!" Narcisa sounded nervous. "But I think so."

Snape looked at Florence and she nodded. They had a plan ready in case Lucius really put his crazy idea in practice.

Florence sent a Patronus to her sons ordering them to go home immediately.

* * *

"Harry grab your coat and go! To the portkey all of you!" screamed Mr. Weasley.

They all obeyed, running out of the tent, going toward the woods. Lots of people were running around, scared, trying to get away from the horror behind them. Some tents were on fire and things were exploding, so they ran faster. As they reached the trees, they heard Ron shouting in pain.

"What happened?" asked Hermione, pointing her lighted wand around, looking for her friend.

"I fell down! I tripped on something." Ron said already getting up.

"Well, with feet that big it is difficult not to fall." said Draco Malfoy getting closer.

"Screw you, Malfoy!" Ron said.

"Watch it, Weasel." Draco said. "Shouldn't you be running? You don't want them to find your little friend here, do you?" he pointed toHermione.

"What do you mean by that?" the girl asked.

"Granger, they're hunting muggles. If you think they can't smell you a mile away, then stay right where you are." Draco laughed.

"Hermione is a witch!" Ronald said.

"Do as you wish." said Draco.

"Draco! There you are!" Snape showed up and grabbed the boy by his arm. He turned around to keep running when he saw the others there. "What are you three waiting for?" he shouted at them. "Take Granger away from here!"

Something exploded really close to where they were standing.

"Follow me!" Snape ordered and they walked deeper into the woods.

They met a group of students in pajamas and one of the girls came towards them,

\- Ou est Madame Maxime? Nous l'avons perdue...

"She's fighting." Snape answered in what sounded like French. And the Gryffindor Trio looked at him, shocked. "You must Disapparate."

The French girl nodded and ran to her friends explaining to them what they had to do.

"They're from Beauxbatons." Hermione said.

"Yes." said Snape.

"Oh, no." Harry murmured patting his pockets.

"What happened?" asked Hermione.

"I lost my wand." said Harry.

Draco started to laugh.

"Of course! Only you would lose your wand during a dangerous situation, Potter. You're really stupid."

"Maybe you've left it in the tent." said Ron.

"No, I had it just a minute ago." said Harry.

More explosions were heard.

"You keep walking." Snape ordered. "I'll go back there. Draco you stay with them." and he left.

The Weasley twins, Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny kept walking into the woods. As they reached an open space they stopped. They could barely hear anything form there.

"Maybe it's ended." Hermione murmured.

"Maybe." some of them replied.

Suddenly they could hear footsteps getting closer, but the sound stopped as suddenly as it had begun.

"Hello?" George called.

No one answered.

"Who is there?" Draco asked, sounding scared.

Then they heard:

"MORSMORDRE!"

And something huge and green appeared in the sky.

"No." Draco said, really frightened this time.

"What is that thing?" Harry asked.

It was a big green foggy skull, its mouth was open and from it a huge snake was moving out like a sickening imitation of a tongue.

People were screaming again, now more than before.

"We must get out of here." Draco said, running into the woods. "Run!"

And they all ran.

* * *

Florence stared at the Dark Mark in the sky and knew that Lucius' prank had gone too far. Some of his craziest friends were there to kill. She ran into the woods to look for Harry when someone grabbed her arm. She not even saw who it was, she just attacked and the person flew a few meters away, hitting a tree.

"It's me!" Snape shouted as he was getting up. "Ouch! That hurt!" he complained.

"What's wrong with you?" Florence shouted, trying hard not to laugh. "How do you expect me to react when someone grabs me by the arm in the middle of the woods while the Dark Mark shines in the sky?!" she lowered her voice. "Did you feel it burn?"

"No, I didn't feel it burn." he stopped in front of her. "And what are you still doing here? You should be home already! You are pregnant!"

"Tell me something I don't know! I have to find Harry…"

"I've seen him. He's fine. He's out of danger."

Florence sighed in relief.

"Who was the lunatic that conjured that?" she pointed to the skull in the sky.

"No idea. But that wasn't in Lucius plans." Snape took a deep breath. "Let's go home. The aurors are getting here already. Let the Ministry handle this mess."

And they Disapparated.

* * *

As they walked into the house, they could hear their children's voices:

"I missed all the fun!" Elizabeth complained to the twins.

"What fun are you talking about, Elizabeth?" Snape asked, closing the front door.

"Death eaters in the World Cup!" the girl said as if it was obvious. "You were all there, fighting, while I was here looking after Chris!"

No one said a word. Snape just looked at his daughter for a moment and said in a low voice:

"You go to your room now and never again I want to hear you saying such foolishness."

"Why do you train us if we can't fight when it's needed?" Elizabeth screamed.

"Go to you room, Elizabeth." Snape repeated. "And I don't want to see your face out of your room until tomorrow morning."

The girl had tears in her eyes. Her beloved father had said that he didn't want to see her until the next day. She began to cry and tried to apologize.

"Not a word." Snape said.

Elizabeth looked at her mother and Florence shook her head.

"Go to your room, Elizabeth. We'll talk tomorrow." she said to her daughter.

Elizabeth dropped her head to her chest and walked upstairs, sobbing.


	52. Chapter 52

**Chapter Fifty-two**

**The Triwizard Tournament**

**November 1994**

That night, the students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons would arrive to the castle. Snape was finishing getting dressed, his thoughts at home; thinking about the last time he had seen Elizabeth, how beautiful his little girl was getting as each day went by. He sighed. Parents never really notice how fast their kids grow; the twins were sixteen already. Sixteen! Little Chris was seven and Elizabeth was twelve years old. He knew that he'd have problems when she decided to start dating. He put on his cloak and walked to the Great Hall. As he entered through one of the side doors, Dumbledore was already speaking. He sat at his usual place at the high table.

"I invite the students from Beauxbatons to come in." said Dumbledore.

And the big twin oak doors opened and around twenty beautiful girls walked into the Great Hall.

Snape heart jumped in fear when amongst those girls he recognized his daughter. _What is she doing here?_

As soon as the Beauxbatons girls had sat, the Durmstrang students walked into the Great Hall and Florence was with them. A big coat and an illusion spell hiding her distended 6-month-pregnant belly.

* * *

**At the Gryffindor table**

"Isn't that… Florence Delacour?" asked Harry.

"Yes." said Hermione.

"Who's the girl she's talking to?" asked Ron. "She is beautiful and the two of them look somewhat alike."

Hermione stared at Florence and the girl. They really looked a lot alike only… Hermione's eyes went to the high table and to the Potions Master sitting there; that's when she knew. _Florence is married to him! She is probably the mother of the twins we met in the Quidditch World Cup! One of them did have green eyes just like her!_ Hermione couldn't stop staring at them; she was nearly hyperventilating. _It makes so much sense! That's why she's always around! That's why they're always near each other when she's here in the castle!_

"Hermione, are you ok?" Harry asked. "You look a bit shocked."

"No, nothing, I just…" she knew she couldn't tell her suspicions to her friends, the boys would say she'd gone mad. "I'm tired, that's all."

* * *

Draco felt like he had been stunned. _She is so beautiful._ He thought, staring at the dark-haired girl that was talking to Florence Delacour. His eyes followed her every move and when the girl's dark eyes stared into his, he was lost. He got irritated beyond any explanation when Victor Krum sat beside her during the feast.

* * *

Florence sat beside her husband at the high table and she heard him growl.

"What's wrong?" she asked him.

"Malfoy won't stop starring at Liz." muttered Snape.

Florence looked at the blond boy; Draco looked really hypnotized by Elizabeth.

"Well… that's interesting." Florence murmured.

"Don't even joke about it. She's only twelve. Why did you let her come anyway?"

"She insisted and as we had already forbidden her to go to the Cup, I thought coming to Hogwarts wouldn't do her any harm. She'll only stay for a while; she'll leave after dinner."

* * *

**After dinner**

Elizabeth had to meet her mother in Dumbledore's office, but she couldn't remember where it was. She walked through the corridors, trying to find someone that could help her. Then she saw a blond boy, she had already noticed him at the feast. She walked towards him.

"Please, could you help me?" she asked him.

"Sure. What do you need?"

"I'm looking for the Headmaster's office."

"Follow me and I'll take you there." she nodded and they began to walk side by side. "What's your name?"

"Elizabeth Delacour."

"You're Miss Delacour sister?"

"Yes." she lied. "And what is your name?"

"Draco. Draco Malfoy."

Elizabeth remember that surname. _The Malfoys are allies of the Dark Lord! If dad sees me here talking to him, he'll…_

"Miss Delacour." a familiar voice called her.

Elizabeth stopped and turned around, staring at her father. He looked furious.

"Good night, Prof. Snape." said Draco.

"Good night, Mr. Malfoy. You may proceed to your dormitory now, I'll take Miss Delacour to the Headmaster's office."

"Yes, professor." Draco said and turned to look at Elizabeth, taking her hand and kissing it. "It was a pleasure meeting you." then he left.

Snape just looked at his daughter. She blushed and stared at the floor while they walked side by side in silence. Once they reached an empty corridor he made her stop and look at him.

"Do you know who he is?" he asked.

"Yes! Now I know but… I needed help and I found him and… only when he introduced himself that I realized who he was." said Elizabeth nervously.

"It's alright." Snape sighed and kissed her forehead. "Let's go to Dumbledore's office, your grandmother is there waiting for you."

They resumed walking.

"Is mom going to stay here?"

"Yes. You'll go home and from there you go back to France."

"I know." the girl showed that she didn't like that plan.

"You know it's…"

"For my safety," she interrupted. "Yes, I understand. I don't like it but I understand."

They walked into the office and the girl went home by Floo.

* * *

Florence went to the dungeons with her husband. As they entered his private quarters, she sat on an armchair and began taking her shoes off.

"I'm so tired." she said yawning. "And craving something sweet …"

"As always." he chuckled. "Do you want to go to bed now?"

"I want to take a shower first. Can you help me?"

"Obviously." he said kissing her lips.

"You know what I mean! No funny business in the shower while I'm pregnant! I just need you to help me in case I feel dizzy or something."

"I know." he kissed her tenderly.

And they went to the bathroom.

* * *

They didn't go to breakfast together the next morning. Snape went first and Florence waited 20 minutes. She was walking slowly around the castle, looking at the beautiful grounds, remembering all the things she had lived there. She was almost reaching the Great Hall when someone bumped into her.

"I'm sorry, Miss Delacour!" the bushy-haired girl said nervously.

"Don't worry, Miss Granger." Florence smiled. "I'm fine, you're fine. No one's hurt." she smiled and noticed the girl had her arms full. "Where are you going with all those books?"

"To the library. I have to return them."

"Do you mind some company?"

"But you haven't had breakfast yet…" Hermione sounded nervous. _What if Prof. Snape finds out that I made his wife miss breakfast because of some books? He'd kill me!_

Florence read the girl's thoughts and chuckled.

"Don't be silly, dear. If I still remember right, the library is not far from here. I'll walk there with you and then come back here to have breakfast."

"O-ok." they walked upstairs in silence for a bit. Then Hermione asked: "Did you study here, Miss Delacour?"

"Call me Florence, dear. And, yes, I studied here."

"Where's your sister? I haven't seen her since yesterday." Hermione sounded really nervous.

"My sister?" Florence looked confused for a moment and then she remembered. "Oh, you mean Elizabeth… I thought you were the cleverest girl of your age, Hermione." she winked at the girl.

"I-I…are you… really… you and Prof. Snape…?"

"Yes."

They stopped near the library doors. Hermione was shocked.

"Why are you telling me this?" the girl whispered. "It's probably a big secret!"

"It is a _huge_ secret; besides Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey no one knows."

"So why tell _me_?"

"Because perhaps it'll be important someday. I've heard more than enough about you to know that you're capable of keeping this to yourself and only divulge it _if_ or _when_ necessary."

"You've probably heard my nickname then."

"Insufferable-know-it-all?" Florence smiled.

"Yes."

" That's not really his opinion about you, dear. He has a role to play here and, unfortunately, being a insufferable git is part of it. He is not really like that nor does he think so badly of you."

The girl's brown eyes sparkled in happiness.

"I won't tell a soul, Florence."

"Not even to you friends."

Hermione chuckled and said:

" They are great, but they can't keep a secret to save their own lives."

They entered the library and Hermione returned her books.

Soon they were walking downstairs towards the Great Hall.

"Elizabeth, she's not your sister." said Hermione.

"Nope."

"I noticed that she looked too much like a mixture of you and… him. Is she your only child?" she needed to know about the twins.

"No. She's the third, and I'm expecting number _five_." Florence whispered and took Hermione's hand to put on her hidden swollen belly. The girl's eyes got huge as she felt it. "It's an illusion spell. I don't want anyone to know about it."

"Wow, it's just… too much. I'd never imagine such thing. He is so cold and evil with the students that…" Hermione stared at Florence looking horrified. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to insult your husband, I…"

"Calm down, Hermione." Florence smiled. "I know you're speaking the truth. I know my husband, dear. I know he can be extremely unpleasant when he wants to be. But I can assure you he's a great husband and an awesome father. I repeat: he has a role to play here. Don't judge him too much."

"Well, I can't start defending him."

"No, you really can't. People would think you're in love with him or something." Florence laughed. "And speaking of the devil, there he is."

They finished walking downstairs and Snape walked towards them.

"I'll just go, then." Hermione said. "Your secret is safe, don't worry." and the girl ran upstairs.

"What were you talking about with Miss Granger?" asked Snape once he was by Florence's side.

"She knows."

"Well, she knows many things; what exactly do you mean?"

Florence looked at him then at herself.

"You told Granger?" he whispered.

"Not everything, but yes. About the kids and us."

"You told her everything then! Don't you think it's too risky?"

"No. Someone besides Dumbledore and Pomfrey needed to know. And you've told me a hundred times she's the best student Hogwarts has seen since we've left it. She understood how serious it is and she won't tell anyone." Florence sighed. "Anyway, I'm hungry so I'm going into the Great Hall to have some breakfast. Care to join me?"

"I've already eaten. I could order something from the kitchens and you could eat in bed, what do you think?"

"Breakfast in bed? I'm all for it!" Florence smiled.

And they went to the dungeons.


	53. Chapter 53

**Chapter Fifty-three**

**The Champions**

Florence was home, she had nothing to do in the castle and she didn't like the fact that she had to hide to go to her husband's living quarters. Also, she spent a lot of time alone in the castle. So she went home to stay with Chris.

* * *

That night the three Champions were going to be selected. Florence was in the living room, waiting for her husband and she could already imagine that something bad had happened for he was two hours late.

She was watching TV, almost sleeping on the couch, when the flames in the fireplace became green and he appeared.

"So, tell me, what happened this time?" she asked.

Snape sighed and removed his soot-covered coat.

"There are four Champions."

"Oh, no!" she exclaimed.

"Diggory, Krum, Delacour and Harry." Snape sat beside her on the couch.

"How is that possible? What about the new age limit rule?"

"As everything else that happens to Harry, we can't explain it. We have no idea how the Goblet of Fire sorted his name, it was supposed to sort three, it has been sorting three names for ages now."

"Why can't anything be normal in his life?"

"I believe Dumbledore already has the answer for it all... anyway I suggested he forbade Harry to participate so if he fails the first task by not appearing he'd be out of the competition. But Alastor Moody said it would be a coward's move and that Gryffindors aren't like Slytherins etc... and Barty Crouch says having one's name sorted from the Goblet of Fire constitutes a binding magical contract, therefore Harry can't not try."

"This is really bad, Severus. These tasks are usually too dangerous."

"There's more. Moody says there is someone in the castle that may want Harry dead, because he believes someone might have bewitched the Goblet of Fire so that it sorted four Champions and said person would have made sure that the fourth one was Harry."

"That's insane. But predictable, coming from Moody. Who inside Hogwarts would want the boy dead?"

"Anyone would say that's me." Snape said, smiling. "But we know I don't want him dead at all. So I have no idea. But maybe Dumbledore does."

"I hate Dumbledore." Florence whispered angrily. "My father is a son of bitch but dear Headmaster sometimes is a strong competition for him."

* * *

Florence went to Hogwarts a few days later, in the morning.

She hid her distended belly with an illusory spell again and walked through the grounds. She saw Hagrid near the woods with some students and got closer. She could see the students were walking with something on a leash; something red and grayish, something between a huge scorpion and a crab and apparently headless.

"Hello, Hagrid." she greeted him.

"Hey, Florence. Good to see you here!"

"Hagrid, are those Blast-Ended Skrewts?"

"Yes! Looks like they are having a blast, doesn't it?" Hagrid said happily.

Florence thought he meant the Skrewts because the students definitely weren't enjoying it in the least. There was a loud sound and some screams. Apparently, one of the things had exploded and the other Skrewts got scared and began running and, therefore, dragging the student on the other side of their leash with them.

"Hum… how is Harry?" she asked.

"Not good. The others are ignoring him, you know? Ron is not talking to him anymore. And some are mocking him..."

"I imagined it wouldn't be easy. Fourteen years old and he's the-boy-who-lived and a Triwizard Champion... seems like everything happens to him, right?"

"Yeah." Hagrid agreed.

* * *

Florence had spoken to Dumbledore but the old man said he really didn't know anything about Harry being a Champion. She left his office furious with him. _It's obvious he's hiding something! He knows who put Harry's name in the Goblet! And he won't do anything about it!_

She was on the stairs from the ground floor to the dungeons when she heard Hermione shouting:

"Harry!"

And then she heard Draco Malfoy:

"Go on, then, Potter," Draco said quietly, drawing out his own wand. "Moody's not here to look after you now – do it, if you've got the guts."

Florence tried to run but when she got to the corridor, the spells were cast:

"Furnunculus!" Harry yelled.

"Densaugeo!" screamed Draco.

Jets of light shot from both wands, hit each other in mid-air, and ricocheted off at angles - Harry's hit Goyle in the face, and Malfoy's hit Hermione. Goyle bellowed and put his hands to his nose, where great ugly boils were springing up – Hermione, whimpering in panic, was clutching her mouth.

"Hermione!" Ron had hurried forwards to see what was wrong with her.

Florence saw Ron dragging Hermione's hand away from her face. It wasn't a pretty sight. Hermione's front teeth were now growing at an alarming rate; the girl was crying looking terrified. Florence walked to her and hugged her.

"Don't worry, dear. Madam Pomfrey will fix it for you in a heartbeat." she looked at the Slytherins. "As for you…"

"And what is all this noise about?'" Snape asked showing up in the corridor, his eyes quickly going to his wife and then to the Gryffindors.

The Slytherins started to speak at the same time, trying to give their explanations. Snape pointed a finger at Draco Malfoy.

"Explain."

"Potter attacked me, sir."

"We attacked each other at the same time!" Harry shouted but Snape ignored.

Florence knew where that was going: more injustices to Harry.

"And he hit Goyle. Look!" said Draco.

Snape examined Goyle, whose face was covered in fungi.

"Hospital wing, Goyle," Snape said calmly.

"Malfoy got Hermione!" Ron said. "Look!"

And Florence forced Hermione to show Snape her teeth.

He looked coldly at Hermione.

"I see no difference."

Although Florence knew he had a role to play there in front of the students, she wanted to punch her husband at that moment. He was being so cruel.

Hermione started to cry against Florence' chest.

"Come on, dear." Florence murmured on the girl's hair. "I'll take you to see Pomfrey."

As they walked upstairs they could hear Harry and Ron shouting at Snape at the same time. It was confusing and no one could really understand what the boys were saying, but Snape got the gist.

"Let's see," he said, in his silkiest voice. "Fifty points from Gryffindor and a detention each for Potter and Weasley. Now get inside the classroom, or it'll be a week's worth of detentions."

* * *

**The First Task**

Florence was inside one of the first aid tents, waiting for Harry to arrive. Pomfrey had forbidden her to watch the task because of her pregnant state.

"Dragons!" shouted Pomfrey. "Last year we had dementors, this year, dragons! Harry!" she exclaimed as she saw the boy limping into the tent. "I ask myself what will it be next year? What could be worse than dementors and dragons? You were very lucky, Harry, this is just a superficial cut. I'll clean it and close it in no time."

Florence closed her eyes and sighed in relief that he was fine.

Pomfrey cleaned the cut with a purple potion that made Harry jump and scream as it touched his wounded skin. After that Pomfrey dried the cut and touched it with her wand, closing it completely.

"Now you wait here and your score will be read soon." Pomfrey walked to the other tent. "How are you Mr. Diggory?"

Harry looked around the small tent only then realizing Florence was there.

"Hello, Harry." she said smiling tenderly. "Are you feeling all right?"

"Yes. I'm fine, thank you." he said, looking at her and feeling as if he knew her; but before he could ask her whether did he know her or not, his friends walked into the tent.

"Harry, you were brilliant!" Hermione shouted, hugging him.

But Harry's eyes were fixed on his other friend. Ronald Weasley was looking at his feet, ashamed of something.

"Harry." the red-haired began. "I believe you didn't put your name in the Goblet of Fire. But... whoever did it wants you killed, man!"

Florence smiled as the boys hugged and she left the tent, looking for her husband.


	54. Chapter 54

**Chapter Fifty-four**

**The Boyfriend**

**December 1994**

The night of the Yule Ball.

The students from all three schools were dancing, drinking and talking loudly. Too loud. And the music was playing nonstop. All those noises entered the Potions Master's head and made him feel overly annoyed. That night he was even more irritated than usual. To watch over hormone-driven teenagers snogging around the castle was far from being his favorite pastime. If he could, he'd be at home, lounging on his couch, with his beautiful 7-month-pregnant wife on his lap, a good sweet elven wine on his hand and his children fighting and playing games on the rug. They were all home already, James, Nick and Liz, from school.

But he wasn't home. No. He was still in Hogwarts. The Headmaster had made all teachers supervise the corridors looking for snogging couples that were going too far. "Don't be cruel, Severus." said Dumbledore when Snape complained about the task. "You were like that once. Or do you think I don't know what you and Florence used to do in the Astronomy Tower and the Room of Requirement?"

Snape didn't reply. So there he was.

* * *

At midnight the Ball would be over and it was 11:45 already. Snape could only think about home, his bed, his wife. He told Dumbledore he was leaving and the Headmaster just said good bye. So Snape went to the dungeons to go home by Floo. But his nightmare wasn't over yet. In front of his living quarters' door stood Karkaroff.

"Severus! I must talk to you! The Mark is reappearing!" Karkaroff whispered. "It's becoming more and more visible each day!"

"I've already told you, Igor, there's nothing to be concerned about."

"You can't pretend nothing is happening! You can't deny he's coming back!"

"So, run!" Snape growled, furious with the man and his annoying accent. "Run away and I'll tell them you were afraid and ran like a coward. However, I'll remain in Hogwarts." he opened his door and stopped Karkaroff from following him in. "I'm not inviting you in."

"We need to talk!"

"There's nothing else to talk about. Now, if you'll excuse me." and he closed the door on Karkaroff's face.

* * *

Florence woke up hearing steps on the stairs. She took her wand from the nightstand and walked slowly to the corridor and then she saw him and smiled. He gave her a tired smile back.

"What are you doing with that wand? You know no one can break into this house." Snape said.

"I heard footsteps and just… I worry, you know that." she smiled and he hugged her, kissing her lips and then kissing her swollen belly, feeling little Sophie moving inside.

"Do you want something to eat?" Florence asked as they walked into their bedroom.

"No, I just want to shower and go to bed. I'm beat. This day was the most annoying day in a long time."

He went to the bathroom and Florence followed him. He began showering and she sat in the small sofa that there was in the bathroom.

"What happened to make you feel so irritated?" she asked.

"Besides the stupid Ball and all the teenagers? Karkaroff… he's afraid of retaliation."

"Is he going to run?"

"I hope so. Then I won't have to look at him ever again."

Florence chuckled.

"Is everybody asleep already?" Snape asked.

"Yes. But Chris will probably come to our bed in a few minutes."

"Is he having nightmares?"

"No. It's just that when you're not home and the other three are at school, it is just him and me so he comes to sleep with me."

"Hand me a towel, please." he asked closing the shower.

"Here." Florence gave him a fluffy white towel. "Tell me about the Ball."

"The great hall was as beautiful as it always is when there's a Ball in the castle. McGonagall knows how to make beautiful decorations."

"If it was so beautiful, why did you hate it?"

"Snogging couples everywhere, Dumbledore way too happy and Karkaroff bugging me. Are those enough reasons?"

They left the bathroom, Florence lay on the bed. Snape put some comfortable sweatpants on and lay down beside her. Florence laid her head on his chest, one of his hands going to her stomach, feeling Sophie.

"I love you, you know." she said.

"Yes… and I love you."

And after a sweet kiss they fell asleep.

* * *

But inside a room two doors down from theirs, there was a beautiful girl that couldn't sleep. Elizabeth had received a letter that had made her heart stop.

_Miss Delacour_

_I wish you a Merry Christmas and hope you like the little gift I sent you. I looked for something that would suit you but I was unable to find anything up to your beauty. This ring was the closest I could find._

_I'd like to know if we could meet somewhere before classes begin next year. Tell me when and where and I'll be there. It could be in Hogsmeade or at the Diagon Alley, anywhere you want._

_I want you to know that I'm not being frivolous in my request, I wish to see you again and get to know you._

_Truth is I can't get you out of my mind._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Draco Malfoy._

Elizabeth had already opened the little black box that accompanied that letter. A beautiful ring lay in its silky black interior. It was a silver ring with twenty-five little flowers, each flower had a diamond center. It was a flower bouquet in a ring. Liz's hand trembled when she thought of putting it on her finger. She had the feeling that if she did that she'd accepting more than just Draco's friendship. She put the ring back in its box and put the box and the letter inside her nightstand drawer. She lay down on her bed, staring at the enchanted ceiling that her father had made for her. It looked like the night sky, only it was always clear and full of stars and the moon was always big and round. It was a beautiful magical present. She loved it. _Dad would kill Draco if he knew about this letter. _She knew her father was Draco's godfather and she knew everything there was to know about the Malfoys. They were mean, dark and evil. _But I felt something that night… when I first saw him. I can't forget him since that night. How will we be able to meet? I'll have to talk to mom. Maybe she'll understand. Elizabeth_ turned off her bedside lamp and closed her eyes. _I must remember to make my Occlumency exercises before going to breakfast tomorrow. If dad catches a glimpse of anything related to Draco in my mind, he'll lock me at home for the rest of my life._

And the girl fell asleep, dreaming about a blond haired boy.

* * *

**In the next morning**

Florence woke up before her husband. Sophie was kicking all of her organs and she felt nauseated. She got up and walked a bit around the house, she found Tiffany and asked for some ginger tea. She heard some noises inside Elizabeth's bedroom as she was walking by the door. She knocked.

"Liz, are you awake?"

"Yes, mom, come in."

Florence walked into the room, closed the door and sat on the bed beside her daughter.

"Morning, princess."

"Morning, queen."

They called each other like that all the time, for if Elizabeth was her father's princess, Florence was his queen.

"Morning, Sophie." the girl kissed her mom's stomach.

"Your sister is not behaving this morning. I slept like a baby the whole night but this morning she started to practice Quidditch inside of me, I think."

"Mom, is dad still asleep?" Elizabeth asked, getting serious.

"Yes, honey, why? Is something wrong?"

"No… not exactly wrong. But I…" she sighed and picked the letter from the drawer. "You better read this and then you'll understand."

Florence opened the letter and began reading it, her eyes getting bigger as she read. Once she finished it, she closed the letter again and looked at her daughter.

"I'm not against it, Liz. But your father will never accept this."

"I know that, mom. But maybe you could talk to him and then…"

"I can't and I won't lie to your father, Elizabeth." Florence saw her daughter's eyes getting filled with tears. "I knew something like this was going to happen. I saw the way Draco looked at you that night at Hogwarts."

"Mom, I felt something when he kissed my hand."

"What did you feel, honey?" Florence looked even more concerned.

"I don't know exactly. But as we were walking side by side to the Headmaster's office I felt something like comfort and peace. Like we were old friends. I felt good walking beside him."

Florence stared at the window, looking sad.

"Maybe you're blessed by the Enchantment as well…" murmured Florence.

"What is that?"

"It's when your magic recognizes other person's magic as its other half."

"You mean like soul mates?"

"Sort of, yes."

"Are you and dad blessed by it?" asked Elizabeth.

"Yes. But it's not always a blessing, dear. When things go bad between a blessed couple it can make you physically sick."

"Did it happen to you?"

"Yes. The Enchantment made me faint once." Florence sighed. "There are also... let's call it _consequences_, when you're blessed by the Enchantment… but let's think about those another time. Maybe you're not." Florence smiled weakly. "It'll be better if you're not."

"Is it so bad to find your soul mate, mom?" asked the girl, confused.

"No, dear. It's not bad! Your father and our family are everything to me. The problem is, Liz, there's a war coming and Draco's family is not on the same side we are."

Elizabeth just nodded and took the letter from her mother's hand, putting it back into the drawer.

"The letter mentioned a ring. Where is it?" Florence asked.

The girl took the black box and gave it to her mother.

"This is gorgeous, Liz." Florence smiled. "You know this means much more than just friendship, don't you?"

"Yes. I haven't put it on yet."

Florence looked at the ring again, closed the box and sighed.

"Honey, you're only twelve. Draco's fourteen. You are both too young to get into a serious relationship. Just make sure that you remember that and Draco does too, okay?"

"So that means you'll let me meet him?"

"Yes, dear. Write back to him. He'll get your owl before lunchtime, the Malfoys don't live that far from here. Tell him to come to Hogsmeade this afternoon at three. Don't tell him where you live and don't use your father's surname."

"Thank you, mom!" the girl hugged her mother and kissed her face. "Will you tell dad?"

"No. Not for now. And when you two meet, you must make it clear to Draco that your family doesn't follow the Dark Lord."

"Yes, mom! I will. Maybe he'll think better and change sides."

"Don't hold your breath, honey. I don't want you to be disappointed. The Malfoys follow the Dark Lord for two generations. Draco will be the third."

"I'll talk to him. You say love cures it all." Elizabeth took the box from her mother's hand and put it back into the drawer.

"I just don't want you to suffer what I've suffered, baby." Florence said, hugging her daughter. "I cannot believe I'm talking about boyfriends with you already."

"Oh, no, mom! Don't start it!" Elizabeth laughed. "Let's go down to breakfast before you start crying and saying we all grow too fast."

* * *

They went downstairs, no one was up yet. They sat at the breakfast table.

"I don't think I'll be able to eat much this morning." Florence said making a face to all the delicious-looking food on the table and sipping her ginger tea.

"Just a bit more than one month to go, mom." Liz smiled at her mother. "I'm so anxious to meet Sophie."

"Really? I thought you'd be angry and jealous of her."

"I can't say I won't be. She'll probably be as crazy about dad as Chris is and everybody knows that I want dad all to myself." Elizabeth said, making a sandwich.

"You can be sure she'll be as crazy about your dad as you all are. I remember the first time Severus spend the day with the twins. He let them do anything they wanted, he even gave James his wand! He allowed them to do many other things that I'd always prohibited; like watch TV until late, eat sweets all the time, help with potion making."

"But that's not fair. Why could they do all those cool things and we can't?"

"Hey! As far as I know, you, young lady, can't complain about limits. Because I know that half the things I say no to, you go and ask your father and he says yes! I know all about that coat your father gave you for your birthday!"

"That coat was unique and beautiful mom! No one else in the world has a coat like that! And we can afford it, we have enough money for a simple coat and more. I don't understand why you didn't want me to have it! The girls at school die every time I wear it."

"It's not because we can that we must buy things, Liz. And that's what I've been trying to teach you but your father keeps spoiling you all!"

"Are these two gorgeous girls talking about me?" Snape asked walking towards them with Chris on his back.

"Yes!" said Florence smiling. "We were talking about a certain very expensive coat that you gave someone. Over two hundred galleons if I remember well."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, then." Snape said, kissed his wife and daughter and sat down.

Chris kissed his mom and sister and sat beside his dad.

They ate in silence for a while. Then Florence spoke:

"Sev, I'll take Liz for a walk this afternoon in Hogsmeade. Will you be home all day?"

"Yes. You girls go out and Chris and I will have a lot of fun here!"

"Yay!" exclaimed the boy.

"We could have dinner with my mom tonight. What do you think?" asked Snape.

"Great idea. Hey, Mellody." Florence called the elf. "Where are James and Nick?"

"The twins aren't home, Mistress. They didn't sleep here tonight."

"Oh, no. Not again. Severus, you must talk to them! They have to understand that there's a war coming!"

"Leave them to me. But are you feeling well enough to go for a walk in the village?"

"I'm fine. Besides, if I feel anything, Liz can bring me home."

"Don't you want me to go with you?"

"No, Sev. I'm fine. We'll just go for a walk. Don't worry."

* * *

**Later that day**

Florence and Elizabeth were walking through Hogsmeade.

"Where will you two meet, Liz?"

"At the new Florean Fortescue."

"You'll have ice cream in this cold day?"

"They've just invented this new hot ice cream, mom! James said it's delicious!"

"Interesting. I think I'll try it too, then!"

They stopped in front to the ice cream parlor.

"Liz, I won't be able to walk in there with you." Florence said.

"Why not?"

"I've just seen Narcissa Malfoy through the window. She knows me and she knows I don't have any siblings. She'll take one look at you and she'll know who your father is. I'll wait for you at Magical Clothing, ok?"

"All right."

"I'll have tea with Sandra and maybe buy some things for Sophie."

"More clothes for Sophie? Mom, if you keep buying her things soon she'll have more clothes and accessories than I!"

"Liz, when you were a child you had more clothes than I ever did."

"I still have more clothes than you!"

Florence shook her head and smiled. Elizabeth loved material things. She kissed the girl's forehead.

"You go inside, Draco's waiting for you. Remember all we've talked, all right?"

"Yes, mom."

Florence saw Narcissa Malfoy leaving the ice cream parlor so she walked to the Magical Clothing Store.

* * *

Elizabeth walked to Draco's table.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Malfoy."

He quickly stood up and took her head, kissing it.

"Hello. I was afraid you wouldn't come."

"But… I'm not even late." she didn't understand his fear.

"No, you're not late. I just… I feared it anyway. Have a seat, please." he pointed to the chair in front of his in the small table. "Did you like the present I sent you?"

"Yes. And I'm curious, Mr. Malfoy. Why would you spend a small fortune on a gift to a girl you barely know, or better saying it, you don't know at all?"

"I… couldn't stop thinking of you. Really."

"You've already told me that in your letter. Why did you want to meet me?"

"I want to get to know you. And, please, call me Draco."

"Look, Draco, we really need to talk. Before we get to know each other I believe I must say a few things." she lowered her voice. "I know your family follows the Dark Lord so you should know from the start that mine doesn't. However, I'm not here to judge you. You are not your family, after all. What I want to know is what do you think about it?"

"Well…" the boy sounded nervous. "I have no intention of becoming a Death Eater, if that's what you're asking."

"And are you all right with the fact that my family doesn't agree with your family's views?"

"That's fine with me. My parents will have to accept my feelings for you." Draco's eyes got huge when he realized what he had just admitted. "But… what about your parents? Will they forbid you to see me because of my family?"

"I'm here, aren't I? My mother has agreed with this. But she asks me to remind you that I'm only twelve and you're fourteen. And my father still doesn't know anything about us. My mom promised me she wouldn't tell him anything. We can keep this a secret until… well, until we are certain this is going somewhere."

Draco looked like he had been stupefied. Elizabeth sounded much older than her age. She sounded like she knew what she was doing there. _She reminds me of someone. I just can't remember whom. And the way she calls Voldemort the Dark Lord… _He thought.

"Do you believe your parents will agree with the fact that I want to ask you to be my girlfriend?"

"Is that your intention already, Draco?" she asked, blushing.

"Yes. And I know you're only twelve, I'd never take advantage of you. I'm too young myself."

"Well, my mom is ok with any possible relationship between us. We've talked, you know. But my dad, he'll… he'll freak out."

"Is he too overprotective?"

"You could say that." she smiled.

"I understand. Any man with a daughter as beautiful as you should think about locking her in a tower and make only the best have her hand." he put his hand over hers on the table.

"Don't give him any ideas, please. I can see him doing just that." she laughed. "One more thing. I'm not meeting you here today because of your money or your family's name. I don't need any of it. If you want I can give you the ring back." she put the little black box on the table.

"No, that won't be necessary." Draco stared at the girl in front of him. She was a beautiful mystery. He was more than in love, he was bewitched by her.

Elizabeth smiled. Their fingers entwined. The waiter came and they placed their orders. She could feel something in the air between them, and she'd felt that sort of magic before, she grew up watching and feeling it between her parents.

Draco never took his eyes off of her.

Was she too young to be forever connected to someone? Yes, she was. But was she sad that she'd already found the love of her life? No, not at all.

* * *

More than two hours had passed already. Florence was still talking and having tea with Sandra, the owner of Magical Clothing. She had bought some new onesies for Sophie, two blouses for Elizabeth, four sets of clothes for Chris and several things for her husband and the twins.

* * *

After finishing their hot ice creams, Elizabeth and Draco went for a walk, hand in hand. The girl looked over her shoulder from time to time and made sure they stayed as far as possible from her house. The hours seemed to pass too fast; she knew it was time to say good bye.

"Draco, I fear I have to go. My mom's been waiting for me all this time."

"Your mom's here? Can I meet her?"

"Sorry, but I don't think that's a good idea. What if my father is there with her and..."

"I understand. There'll come a time when we'll be able to introduce our families. But it's not today."

"Yes. But not today." _Not any time in the near future, either. _She thought.

"When will I see you again?" he asked.

"I don't know. I'll have to go back to France on the first week of January. But I… I won't forget about you."

They stopped by a beautiful old water fountain.

"I'll write to you." Draco murmured, taking both her hands in his. "I won't be able to forget about you." he kissed her hands.

"I'll gladly reply to any letter of yours." she said smiling more.

His blue eyes stared into her dark ones for a moment, then one of his hands touched her face.

"You're just so beautiful." he took a step towards her. "May I…?" their lips so close now.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and nodded.

And then he kissed her. His warm soft lips touched hers in a delicate kiss at first. But she needed more, she didn't know when she'd see him again. One of her hands went behind his neck, pulling him closer; she opened her mouth when she felt his tongue touching her lips. And then his tongue was caressing hers. Her whole body trembled. Their breaths mingled. His hands around her waist, embracing her tightly, pulling her closer to his body. They only stopped the moment they needed air. And they stared at each other. Draco's finger traced her wet bottom lip and neither of them said a word for a while.

"I really have to go now." she whispered.

"I understand." he whispered back.

Elizabeth took a step back and walked away from him. She looked back a hundred times on her way to the Magical Clothing.

* * *

Elizabeth found her mom and took some of the bags from her. They were walking home, Liz was silent but smiling too much. Florence knew something had happened.

"Did he kiss you, Liz?"

"Yes, mom!" the girl said, unable to contain it any longer. "My first kiss! And it was with my soul mate! How romantic is that? It was so good and warm…"

"Liz. May I remind you again that you're only twelve?"

"I know that, mom. And he even asked for my permission to kiss me!"

"That was very polite of him." Florence sighed. "You just can't get home with that face, Liz. You have to clear you mind and stop thinking about him for a moment. Otherwise your father will know everything. I'm not even trying to read your mind but you're projecting your thoughts like crazy, dear."

"Ok." Elizabeth took a deep breath and began one of the Occlumency exercises her father had taught her.

"If your father finds out I let you meet with a boy and that said boy was Draco Malfoy, he'll… I don't even want to think about what he'll do."

"But what about the Enchantment? I think I felt it… the same magic I always feel when you and dad are in one of those disgusting lovey-dovey moments…"

Florence laughed and said:

"You know your dad is Draco's godfather, right?" Elizabeth nodded. "Well, that won't matter if he finds out Draco put his hands on you. With or without Enchantment. Draco will probably go down to a potions class one day and he'll never be seen again."

"That really sounds like dad…"

"That's why you must be careful."

"I'll be. I'll practice Occlumency every day."

They reached the house and walked inside. Not another word was said about Elizabeth and her boyfriend.


	55. Chapter 55

**Chapter Fifty-five  
**

**Sophie**

**January 2****nd****, 1995 **

Before going back to France, Elizabeth managed to meet her boyfriend once more. This time they went to Diagon Alley. The girl wanted to get some books for herself and a gift for her father.

The couple walked into the Scribulous Writing Instruments shop and Elizabeth bought a beautiful new self-refilling emerald pen, and she asked the clerk to engrave 'S.S.' on it in silver. She was careful so Draco didn't see it. She took the wrapped present and they walked to Flourish &amp; Blots.

"Who are you buying that pen for?" asked Draco.

"My dad. I won't be home for his birthday so I'll ask mom to give it to him."

"Is he a writer or something?"

"Or something. It's just that he doesn't have a lot of patience for regular quills, he likes to throw them into the fireplace when they annoy him. "

"The quills _annoy_ him?" Draco asked amused.

"Yes."

"He sounds like an interesting man."

"Oh, yes, he is very interesting." said Elizabeth, trying not to laugh.

* * *

The couple stayed in the Alley until 4 p.m. Elizabeth had to go home then, she'd be going back to school that same day.

* * *

Elizabeth and Draco wrote to each other every week. Their relationship got stronger, and their love grew.

* * *

**February 1995**

**Hogwarts**

The second task would happen in two days.

Florence was spending the night with her husband in the castle. They were enjoying dessert in front of the fireplace.

"You look worried. What happened?" she asked.

"Some ingredients have been missing from my personal stores. Important and expensive ingredients. I think someone is brewing Polyjuice Potion."

" That's serious. Do you have any idea who might be doing this?"

"No idea. I confronted Harry but it's not him."

"At least this time it's not him." Florence chuckled.

"Yes. They think I don't know about their second year. Harry nearly exploded my classroom with a Swelling Potion and Granger stole the ingredients..."

A loud noise was heard.

" What was that?" Florence asked.

"I better go check." said Snape, getting up from the couch.

"I'll go with you." she said, performing an illusion spell to hide her pregnant belly.

* * *

On the third floor they found Filch with a golden egg on his arm.

" Filch. What's going on here?" asked Snape.

"It's Peeves, professor! He just threw this egg down the stairs!" Filch looked at Florence. "Good night, Miss Delacour."

Florence just nodded back and petted Mrs. Norris when the cat came near her.

" Peeves?" Snape asked in a low voice, looking at the egg. "But it couldn't have been Peeves who went into my office and…"

"This egg was in your office, professor?" asked Filch.

"What? Of course not!" Snape barked. "But I went to my office after dinner and the lights were on and the doors were opened. Someone has been going into my office without my permission."

"But Peeves couldn't…"

"I know he couldn't, Filch. My office is sealed by spell. Only a wizard could undo it."

Snape looked at the top of the staircase that lead to the fourth floor. And then he focused on sending his thoughts to Florence: _Harry is there on the top of the stairs. _

Florence looked at the stairs and felt Harry's magic there; she mentally replied: _Get Filch out of here and I'll deal with Harry. _

"I want you to help me look for the intruder, Filch." Snape said.

"I… of course, professor. But, we must do something about Peeves! I think this egg belongs to one of the Champions and…"

"Filch, I don't give a fuck about the stupid poltergeist! My office is much more important!"

Toc. Toc. Toc.

And Snape stopped speaking. At the top of the stairs that led to the second floor stood Mad-Eye Moody. The auror walked towards them with a sour smile on his face.

"Is this a pajama party?" his weird eye stopped on Florence. "And Miss Delacour! What a surprise seeing you here. And with Prof. Snape. That's a huge surprise indeed!" he said sarcastically.

"We heard a loud noise, professor." said Filch. "Peeves is stealing from students and throwing things around the castle! And Prof. Snape said someone has been into his office…"

"Shut up!" Snape barked.

Moody looked at where Harry was and then at Snape.

"So, someone has been going into your office, eh?"

"It's not important." Snape said between gritted teeth.

"Oh, but it is very important. What are you hiding in there that someone would break in to find it?"

Florence fought the urge to smile. Snape was furious with the weird auror.

"You know I haven't been hiding anything in there, Moody." Snape replied in a soft, deadly voice. "For you've searched my office at least three times already."

"Auror's privilege, Snape. Dumbledore told me to keep an eye out for anything unusual."

"Dumbledore trusts me." growled Snape.

"Of course he does. He's a good man, isn't he? He believes in second chances and all that. But I say one thing, some traces never change, Snape. Do you get what I mean?"

Snape fisted his left hand.

"You go back to bed, Snape." said Moody before looking at Florence. "Maybe you should accompany him."

Florence took her wand out quickly and pointed it at the stupid auror, casting silently: _Sectumsempra_.

The auror's right cheek began to bleed and he growled at her, cleaning his face with the palm of his hand.

"I don't know who you think you are, Mad-Eye." Florence said, putting her wand back into her coat. "But I'm a guest here in this castle. And you have no authority to tell me to go anywhere." she stared at him coldly.

Moody stared at her for a moment, as if recognizing something in her.

Then Snape saw something on the floor and identified it as the Marauder's Map. But before he could get it, Moody summoned it and said:

"This is mine. I must have dropped it earlier today."

"So, as everything is settled I better go back to bed." Snape said.

"Yes. That's the best idea you've had all day." Moody said and then looked at Florence. "Good night, Miss Delacour."

Florence went to the room she pretended to occupy in the castle and Snape went to the dungeons.

* * *

**The second task**

After the second task, Hermione walked quickly to her common room and took a hot shower. Florence had invited her for a walk through the castle's grounds.

They walked and talked for over an hour before returning to the castle and going to the dungeons so Florence could rest before dinner.

"Harry did very well in the lake, didn't he?" asked Hermione.

"Not exactly, dear. If Dobby hadn't stolen the Gillyweed from Severus' stores, Harry wouldn't have been able to participate at all." said Florence.

"True. For months he didn't care about that egg and then on the last week he wanted to solve it desperately and three days before the task he just had no idea what to do yet." Hermione sighed. "He's incorrigible."

"His father was like that too…" Florence smiled. "Harry is a lot like Lily, but his talent for getting into trouble is all from James." she released a deep breath.

"Did you know his parents?"

"Yes. We were huge friends."

"But you're not a Gryffindor." said Hermione, confused.

"Nope. I'm a Slytherin but we were friends. Only on Quidditch days we used to fight." she took another deep breath.

"Did you play Quidditch, Florence?"

They entered Snape's office.

"Yep. I was a Beater. I used to hit James' head every match." Florence chuckled; but then she felt dizzy and put a hand on the wall to hold herself up, the other hand on her hidden belly.

"Are you all right?" Hermione asked worried.

"No, dear. I'm a bit dizzy and… ow!" Florence felt something wet run down her legs. "Help me get to the bedroom, Hermione, please."

"What's going on?"

"I'm in labor, dear." Florence took a deep breath again and held in a moan. Hermione's eyes got huge. "Don't worry. The contractions have just started, we still have time."

Hermione helped her get to Snape's bedroom.

Florence sat on the bed and said:

"Call Severus and Pomfrey, will you?"

"Sure." and the girl ran as quickly as possible to the hospital wing and then towards the Lake where the teachers still were.

* * *

Snape was walking and talking with Dumbledore and McGonagall. Hermione stopped running and tried to calm down her breathing before walking to the teachers.

"Prof. Snape, I'd like your help, sir."

"Yes, Miss Granger I was waiting for you to come pester me about the last essay." he pretended to be annoyed with the girl. "Let's go to my office and I'll take a look at your work." he looked at Dumbledore and McGonagall. "Excuse me."

They walked quickly to the castle. Once they reached his office, he closed the door and asked:

"What happened?"

"She's in labor. Pomfrey is in your room already."

"Thank you, Miss Granger." and Snape went into his personal stores and picked up some vials, before walking into his private quarters and nearly running to the bedroom.

He left the door opened, so Hermione walked to the bedroom door, she wanted to make sure that Florence would be alright. If they needed anything, she could go and get it.

"How are you, Flor?" Snape asked as he gave Pomfrey the vials and took his wife's hand, kissing it.

"I'm fine… been better though." she panted.

"Drink this, dear." Pomfrey said, giving her something in a glass. "It'll help you relax."

"Call the kids, Sev." Florence murmured, her eyes closing as a strong contraction hit her body.

"Yes." and he picked up his wand, sending three Patronus (one to his mother at their house, other to Elizabeth and the third to the twins). "It's done." he took her right hand on his again.

"Have you ever seen a woman in labor, Mione?" Florence asked.

"N-no." the girl stuttered. "Can I stay and help?"

"Well, it's not a clean thing, dear." Pomfrey said. "But if you want to help, you can stay here near me and help me."

Hermione walked into the bedroom and stood beside Pomfrey handing her anything she asked for, from potions to towels.

* * *

Two hours later, little baby Sophie came into the world. Pomfrey cleaned the screaming baby while Hermione just stared at the tiny kicking person. Pomfrey gave the baby to Snape and he kissed the little one's forehead. Hermione looked at that man and right then she could see in him the man Florence often talked about; the caring husband and father. Hermione cried at the emotional scene in front of her. Snape gave Sophie to a crying Florence and she touched all of her daughter's toes and fingers, touching the baby's face and the soft sparse brown hair strands on her head. Snape helped Florence open up her bra and soon Sophiewas being breastfed.

"She's in great health. As were all the others." Pomfrey said as she finished cleaning up everything.

"Thank you, Pomfrey." Florence murmured, a tired happy smile on her face.

"Call me next time, will you?"

"You can be sure of it, Pomfrey." Snape said, smiling.

Pomfrey left the room. But Hermione stood there just watching the family scene in front of her. It was too beautiful, a new life had just begun right in front of her eyes. After a while, Sophie stopped eating and fell asleep in her mother's arms. Snape transfigurated a small chair into a pretty white crib and he put the baby in it, kissing her face once more.

The beautiful scene was interrupted when five people ran into the room, all covered in soot. The five began speaking at the same time, going near the bed.

"Mom! How are you?" asked James.

"Where is Sophie?" asked Nicholas.

"Is everything all right?" asked Elizabeth.

"Florence, dear, are you ok?" asked Eileen.

"Mom, are you all right?" asked Christopher.

"Quiet." Snape said in a low firm voice. They all obeyed. "Flor is fine. Sophie is over here in her crib."

Eileen walked to the crib to look at her granddaughter.

Hermione stared at the twins. _James and Nicholas_. She remembered them from the Quidditch World Cup. James, as always, made her heart beat faster.

Florence looked at Hermione and said:

"Thank you for your help, dear."

Then everybody looked at the girl. She blushed profusely. James openly smiled at her and she froze. Florence saw that and chuckled.

"Miss Granger." Snape said. "Thank you for helping my wife and daughter."

"You don't need to thank me, professor. I like Florence very much." she looked at Florence and then her eyes met James's. "I-I better go now." she murmured and almost ran out of the room.

"Care to explain that, Jamie?" Florence asked, smiling.

"Who knows, mom…" James replied, scratching the back of his head.

"What are you two talking about?" Snape asked.

"Nothing, dear." Florence quickly said.

Then Sophie began crying in her crib and Nicholas passed the baby girl to her mother. The little girl stopped fussing as her head touched Florence's chest. After a while the baby opened her eyes and stared up at her mother. Snape got closer to them and the baby looked at him too. Her tiny hands moving to his long hair and pulling on it. He kissed the baby's forehead.

"She is as gorgeous as you." he murmured looking at Florence.

"And just like me, all it took was one look at you for her to love you." Florence murmured.

They shared a sweet kiss.

"Okay, let's stop all that, please." Nicholas asked, faking disgust.

"Yes, the air gets heavy with magic when you two start that lovey-dovey thingy." James said, making a face.

Florence and Snape laughed and they all kept on looking at baby Sophie and talking about her.

* * *

In the next morning, Florence and Sophie went home.


	56. Chapter 56

**Chapter Fifty-six**

**My girlfriend's father**

**March 1995**

**Potions Class**

Draco Malfoy was really testing his limits that day. The boy hadn't even began his potion, he just kept reading a piece of parchment, his face showing it was probably a love letter. During the whole explanation Draco didn't shut up and now that. Snape knew he couldn't take too many points from Slytherin, they couldn't really afford it at the moment, Ravenclaw was closing up on them; but he knew he had to do something.

"Mr. Malfoy. Five points from Slytherin. Now you better shut up and put that letter in your bag if you don't want me to read it out loud for the class."

The blond boy nodded and quickly put the letter inside his bag; then he began preparing the ingredients for the potion. But a few minutes later Draco saw Hermione helping Neville Longbottom and he shouted at them.

"Detention, Mr. Malfoy!" said Snape, angrily. "Be in my office tonight at seven o'clock. And, Miss Granger, if I see you helping Longbottom again I'll be forced to give him and you a zero for today's work."

Draco smiled and the Slytherins chuckled.

"Silence!" Snape said.

And the class went on as one could predict, Draco didn't finish his potion and Hermione stopped trying to help Longbottom.

* * *

**7 p.m.**

**Snape's office**

Snape was grading some papers as he waited for his godson. He was using and loving the new special pen Elizabeth had given him for his birthday. It was amazing. Its ink never ended and he could change its color with a simple flick of his wand. And the pen itself was beautiful, dark emerald green with his initials engraved with silver.

He heard knocks on the door.

"Come in."

"Good night, godfather." Draco said as he entered and closed the door.

"I'm here as your teacher, Mr. Malfoy. Finish your detention and then we'll be able to speak as godfather and godson."

"Yes, sir. What should I do?"

"Quite simple. I put all the necessary ingredients over that table for you to prepare the solution you should have done in class earlier."

"Ok, professor, I'll begin right..." Draco was speaking but his eyes fell on the pen on his teacher's desk. The boy felt as if a lightening had stricken him. _No, it can't be. That pen looks just like the one Liz bought for her father..._ and then truth hit him like a truck. _The dark hair and eyes. My godfather is my girlfriend's father! Elizabeth is Prof. Snape's daughter! _

"Draco, are you feeling all right?" Snape asked. "Come on, the Strengthening Solution is not that difficult. You'll be out of here in less than an hour."

"I…" Draco took a deep breath, trying to think past the recent news. "I'm fine, professor. I haven't had dinner yet, it must be it… I'll begin the solution now." He walked to the table Snape mentioned with the ingredients.

"Ok. Finish the solution and then go to dinner."

"Yes, professor." _…or should I say father-in-law__?_

Snape went back to his desk and resumed grading the essays piling on it. His eyes going to Draco from time to time, trying to understand what was wrong with the boy, why did he look so nervous?

* * *

Draco finished the Strengthening Solution as quickly as possible and ran to the Owlery. There, he wrote to his girlfriend:

_Liz_

_I need an honest answer from you. I think I might have met your father. And I have to say: I'm freaking out here. Please, my love, answer me truthfully, are you my godfather's daughter__? __Are you Severus Snape's daughter__?_

_Yours sincerely,_

_Draco Malfoy._

* * *

**In the next morning**

Elizabeth stared at the letter in her hand and thought about what she would do next. She had no idea what to do. She didn't know if she could tell Draco the truth. She didn't know if she should. So she wrote a letter to her mother:

_Mom_

_He found out. Draco knows who my father is._

_I want to go home next weekend, I have to talk to you and then decide what I will tell him._

_Love,_

_Elizabeth._

Florence's answer reached Elizabeth that same day:

_Liz,_

_I've written to the school. I said I want you home next weeked to spend some time with your new sister. You must write to Draco and tell him not to mention his suspicions to anyone. Set up a date for you two to meet here in Hogsmeade as well._

_I love you._

_Florence._

* * *

**Following Saturday morning in Hogsmeade**

Elizabeth was waiting for her boyfriend inside the Florean Fortescue. The boy didn't take long to arrive.

"Hello, my love." he said and softly kissed her lips.

He sat in front of her.

"Hi, love." she murmured.

An uncomfortable silence fell between them. Draco kept on staring at her and Liz said nothing.

"Please, Liz, answer me." he said nervously.

She sighed before answering:

"Yes, Draco. The answer to your question is yes. I am his daughter."

Draco stared at her, feeling really scared now.

"I'm so fucked." he murmured, making the girl laugh. "I love you, Liz, but I'm so terrified right now."

"You always told me great things about your godfather, why are you so afraid?" she asked.

"I really like him. He was always there for me, but… you're his daughter! He'll skin me alive if he finds out I'm putting my hands on you."

"My mother is by our side, don't worry."

"Your mother…" he murmured, as if remembering something. "Florence Delacour is your mother!" he whispered.

"Yes." Elizabeth looked serious now. "You know you can't tell anyone about any of this. Not even to your parents."

"But, why?"

"Your father could use that information to attack my father during the upcoming war. I have brothers and a sister, Draco, you can't risk them. You must promise me you'll train Occlumency everyday and that you'll keep this a secret."

"I won't tell a soul. You can trust me. I would never put you or your family - my godfather's family, in danger."

"I trust you. I love you, Draco."

"And I love you."


	57. Chapter 57

**Chapter Fifty-seven**

**The Last Task**

**May 1995**

It had been more than two hours that the four Champions had entered the maze. Florence didn't see them going in for she had had to breastfeed Sophie and wait for Eileen to get to her house before coming to Hogwarts.

She arrived and sat beside her husband.

"What's happened so far?" she asked.

"Your cousin, Fleur Delacour, has been disqualified."

"Why?"

"She told the jury that Krum attacked her."

"Wow. That's pretty low, to attack the only female Champion."

Snape cast a Muffliato around them before speaking again:

"Why did it take you so long to get here?" he asked annoyed.

"How do you want me to start?"

"By birth order." he said almost smiling.

"Well, James and Nick left earlier without telling me where they were going. I was going to leave Chris and Sophie with Lizbut she screamed and shouted and cried and... well, in the end I called you mother and I had to wait for her to get to the house so I could come."

"Why didn't you let Tiffany or Mel take care of the kids?"

"They're both overworked already. All the kids are at home, and there are five of them. They all ask things from the elves during the entire day. I know they like to please but at the end of the day Mel and Tif are beat."

"We'll have to get another house elf before having more kids then."

"You've got to be kidding me! I've just given birth and you're thinking about more kids already?! You must be insane."

Snape was going to reply but red sparks shot out from the maze and two aurors ran inside and soon walked out carrying a passed out Viktor Krum between them.

"Hogwarts is the Champion!" the students began shouting from the benches. Some screamed: "Potter! Potter!" and others shouted: "Diggory! Diggory!"

"Now we just have to wait and see who'll get to the Cup first." Florence said.

* * *

**Thirty minutes later**

Snape suddenly grabbed his own left arm. Florence looked at him, her eyes filled with worry.

"No. No." she murmured. "What are you feeling?"

"It's like... like I'm being summoned." he replied in a low voice.

They got up and walked down to where Dumbledore was.

"What's wrong, my son?" asked the Headmaster.

"I'm being summoned." Snape said between gritted teeth. "And it's strong."

"So go, Severus." Dumbledore said.

"No! You can't go!" Florence said furiously.

"I have to go, Florence."

"You must plan first." she said.

"We've planned everything out already." Snape replied not looking at his wife.

"No. No." Florence murmured with tears in her eyes.

And then suddenly Harry and Cedric appeared near the entrance of the maze. The Triwizard Cup on the floor beside them. Everybody applauded and cheered but when Fleur Delacour screamed in terror they all stopped. Dumbledore ran towards Harry and Cedric, Florence and Snape right behind him.

"He's back!" Harry shouted, crying. "Voldemort's back! Cedric asked me to bring his body back... I couldn't leave him, not there!" and he began sobbing.

"You're all right now, Harry." said Dumbledore trying to calm the boy down.

"What's happening?" asked the Minister coming closer.

"A boy has just been murdered." said McGonagall, crying.

Florence and Snape stared at the dead boy on the floor and then at the Diggory couple that was crying and screaming in pain as they looked at their only son lying dead on the ground. Their eyes met and Florence let the tears fall; but Snape looked to the benches and frowned. Florence looked at where he was looking and she saw Alastor Moody dragging Harry away, into the castle.

Snape got closer to her and murmured:

"Go home. I'll talk to Dumbledore and go after Moody."

"Will you... ?" she looked at his left forearm.

"You know I have to go." he sighed.

"I know." Florence whispered and more tears fell down her face. Her eyes stared into his and she thought: _I love you. Come back to me._

Snape mentally replied: _I love you._

* * *

Florence didn't Apparate home. She walked from the castle to Hogsmeade. It took her a little over twenty minutes to get to the center of the village. She saw that only the Three Broomsticks was open at that time. She looked inside the bar through the window.

"What the hell?" she asked herself, stopping in the middle of the street. "Nick and James?" she couldn't believe her own eyes. Her sons were in there! Florence stormed into the bar, wand in hand. Rosmerta was practically sitting on James' lap. Florence saw her son put his hand on Rosmerta's thigh. "You better take your hand off this bitch before I removed it myself." she growled, her glowing wand pointed to James' hand.

The twins got up as fast as they could, both looking terrified.

"Miss Delacour, what a pleasure seeing you here." Rosmerta said, ironically.

"We can..." Nicholas began.

"Not a word." Florence interrupted. "I want you two home in five seconds. Go!"

And the boys ran out of the bar.

Florence stared at Rosmerta and lowered her wand, going to the door.

"You know..." Rosmerta said. "Your sons look just like a certain man. I didn't have him for myself but maybe I can have one of them... or both."

One flick of Florence's wand and Rosmerta's face was bleeding.

The entire bar became silent. Rosmerta took her wand out as well.

"You've been asking for this for years!" Rosmerta screamed.

"Oh, really." Florence smiled. "Come on then. Try it."

Rosmerta mutely cast something but Florence sent it into the wall, destroying part of it. The customers sitting by the wall ran away screaming.

"You could never accept that he didn't really wanted you. You crawled at his feet and he kept on ignoring you." said Florence.

"But he always came back to me while you were too occupied fucking Black."

"Langlock." Florence cast and walked towards the other woman. "You'll never be anything but a whore. You are not woman enough to keep a man like him." she whispered staring Rosmerta in the eye.

Florence took a step back and looked around at the bar. Everybody was staring at them.

"Have a great night, y'all!" she said before leaving the bar.

* * *

Florence walked inside her house. The twins were waiting for her in the living room.

"Mom…"

"Shut up!" she shouted, pointing a finger at them. "I don't want to hear one fucking thing coming out of your mouths. Get upstairs, take a shower and go to sleep." she sat on the couch, remembering where her husband probably was by then and the tears began to fall.

"Mom, what's wrong?" James asked, kneeling down with his brother in front of her.

"Your father has been summoned." Florence said. "Voldemort is back. He killed a boy in the Tournament…"

"Harry?" both asked.

"No. Cedric Diggory. He was an only child… I can't even begin to imagine the pain the Diggorys must be feeling right now." she cried and the twins hugged her. "Your father is probably with my…" then she stopped, realizing that the kids didn't know who her father was.

"Your what, mom?" asked James.

"My father." she paused. "The Dark Lord is my father, boys." she whispered.

The twins stared at her with equal disbelief faces.

"You mean to tell us that…" James began

"…the Dark Lord's our grandfather?" Nicholas finished.

"Yes." Florence murmured, wiping her eyes.

"You-Know-Who's daughter is married to one of his most important Death Eaters." James said, thinking.

"Yes." she said again. "Don't tell any of your siblings yet, boys. I must find a way to tell them."

"Mom… I just…" James said looking down at his hands. "I'm sorry."

"We know you don't want us going in the Three Broomsticks…"

"I'll forget that happened. This time. But don't ever go back there." she said firmly.

"We promise." they said in unison.

Florence kissed both her sons' cheeks. Then a baby cry was heard.

"Sophie." Florence dried her face and walked upstairs, meeting Elizabeth in the corridor.

"Mom… were you crying?" the girl asked.

"Yes, dear." she kissed her daughter's forehead. "But I'll tell you later, now I have to feed your sister. Go back to bed, love."

* * *

Florence fed Sophie and took a shower after the baby fell asleep. She lay down on her bed but she couldn't even close her eyes to try and sleep. Every time she did that, she saw her husband being tortured and killed. She got up and walked out of her room, she had to see her children, make sure they were all safe inside the house.

She walked to Elizabeth's bedroom. Her beautiful daughter was asleep sitting up on the bed, with a book by her side and little Chris' head on her lap. Florence put them both on a more comfortable position, kissed their heads and left the room. She entered the twins' bedroom next. She looked at the two double beds in the room. Both teenagers were sleeping already. Nicholas on the bed on the right, arms and legs spread out on the mattress, his duvet on the floor. She took it from the floor and covered her son, kissing his forehead. then she went to James' bed - he was completely covered, from head to toe, his arms around a pillow. She kissed his head and left the room. As she was closing the door she saw her husband in the corridor.

"I thought you'd be here." said Snape walking towards her.

"I had to see them… are you all right?" she asked, hugging him.

"Apparently I am the only one not being tortured tonight." they walked together to their bedroom and closed the door.

"That's good. But the others will hate you for it."

"I know." he sighed. "Have you seen Liz and Chris?"

"Yes. They're both on Liz's bedroom." Florence checked Sophie's diaper and sat on their bed.

Snape took a shower, kissed Sophie's soft forehead and lay down on the bed by his wife.

"What happened in Hogwarts after I left?" she asked.

"Dumbledore and I followed Moody and found out he wasn't who he claimed to be. Barty Crouch Jr. escaped from Azkaban, captured the real Moody and had been drinking Polyjuice potion since the beginning of the term."

"What? Barty Crouch Jr.? he's a mean son of bitch."

"The best part is that Dumbledore already knew that." said Snape, clearly displeased.

"He knew it and allowed a crazy person to teach his students anyway?"

"As if Dumbledore could be called sane."

Florence chuckled.

"You're right…" she looked at his left arm, seeing that the Dark Mark was more visible than before. "How was it?"

"Better than I expected. He asked me what I have been doing all these years and I told him that I'd been where he had last ordered me to be; beside Dumbledore in Hogwarts. He was really glad about it. But what he really loved was the fact that I am now a member of the Order of The Phoenix. So I'll be able to tell him all of Dumbledore's plans."

"Do you think he may change his mind and…?"

"Kill me?" he completed. "No. Although he came back with _one too many screws loose._ He's completely crazy. But I'm useful to him and he doesn't have that many followers now, he needs the few he still has." Snape paused, holding her in his arms. "But if something ever happens to me…"

"No!" Florence interrupted kissing his lips. "Don't say it. Don't even think about it." she kissed him again, both her hands on his face. "I've told you once, Sev, I don't know if I can live in this world if you're not in it."

"But the kids…"

"They'll survive. I don't know if I can survive without you. If you ever think he'll try to kill you, we'll run away. We'll hide somewhere. But you won't let him kill you. I won't let that happen."

He didn't reply. He just held her closer. Florence laid her head on his chest and they fell asleep.


	58. Chapter 58

**Chapter Fifty-eight**

**Jealousy**

**September 1995**

The classes had begun and so had the problems. The Ministry had decided to interfere in Hogwarts, naming Dolores Umbridge as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Without Dumbledore's approval, of course.

* * *

**December 1995**

Florence was walking around Hogsmeade with little Sophie on a stroller when she saw him.

"Padfoot?" she murmured getting closer to the black dog sitting near the trees.

The dog barked and wagged his tail. She stopped in front of him and he licked her hand before sniffing the giggling baby girl in the stroller. Sophie laughed when the dog licked her fingers and she tried to grab his nose.

"She's the fifth." Florence said.

Sirius snorted.

"I can't speak with you when you're like that. Let's go to my house…" the dog growled and Florence understood. "He's not home yet. He'll only get home at dinnertime."

The dog nodded and they walked to her house. Once they got there, Florence put a sweater and a pair of jeans of the twins in the bathroom with a clean towel and Sirius went in to take a shower and get dressed.

After some minutes, he walked out of the bathroom, clean and dressed.

Florence hugged her friend.

"How are you?" she asked.

"Alive and kinda free." he said. "But look at you! Wow, you look even more gorgeous than I remembered. And who's this little princess in the stroller?"

Florence picked Sophie in her arms and passed her to Sirius.

"This is Sophie."

"Hello, little princess." he said to the baby. Sophie cooed and smiled at him, moving her little hands to his face. "I can't believe this gorgeous baby is his daughter…"

"Wait till you see Chris and Liz."

Sirius kept on entertaining Sophie.

"Let's have tea, you must be hungry." Florence said.

"I'm starving for some of Tiffany's excellent food." Sirius said.

* * *

They entered the kitchen, Florence asked Tiffany for some tea and sandwiches and they sat down. Then they heard footsteps on the stairs.

"Padfoot?" the twins asked together.

Sirius put Sophie in the high chair Florence had showed him and then turned around to look at the twins.

"Merlin's beard! What on earth have you two been eating?" the boys ran towards him and Sirius hugged them both with tears in his eyes. "You are so…" he looked at them. "You look so much like your father is uncanny!" he said.

"Let's sit down, boys. Tea will be ready soon." Florence said and the boys sat.

The twins and Sirius were talking nonstop; they told him everything about Durmstrang and how they loved all the things there and also about the Weasley twins they were friends with.

A few minutes later Elizabeth and Christopher walked downstairs and entered the kitchen. Sirius stared at the two beautiful children.

"Florence, your blood must be really strong. These children are just too beautiful to be Snivellus'."

Elizabeth just looked at him.

"You must be Sirius Black." she said folding her arms on her chest. "I've heard about you."

"Good things only, I hope." Sirius said, smiling at the girl.

"Elizabeth is Team Severus all the way, Sirius. You won't be able to make her change her mind about you."

Liz just sat down at the table beside her mother without saying another word.

"And you must be Christopher." Sirius said to the brown haired boy.

"Yes, I am. And I know you're a dog! That's so cool! Nick can turn into a dog too! Jamie is a bear though." Christopher started to talk.

"Chris can talk your ear off if you allow it, Sirius." Florence said smiling. "He's very clever and reads about everything he finds interesting, and he thinks many things are interesting."

Nearly twenty minutes after Tiffany had begun serving the tea, Liz still hadn't talked to Sirius. She was eating in silence.

Suddenly they heard:

"What a touching scene."

It was Snape standing by the kitchen entrance.

Everybody turned to look at him. He looked furious.

"Come join us, Severus." Florence said ignoring his first comment.

"I don't want to interfere in your date." he replied bitterly, staring at Florence.

She just stared at him and said nothing for a while.

"We're back at school then, I suppose." she murmured.

Snape just turned around and walked to the library without a word. Elizabeth dropped her knife on her plate noisily and stared at her mother. Florence sustained her daughter's mute stare exactly as she had done with her husband's.

"Not a word, Elizabeth. Follow your father if you want. But keep your mouth shut. "

And the girl walked to the library.

The twins began to laugh.

"If dad threw himself into the Black Lake, Liz would follow him." said James.

"I don't want to cause you any trouble, Florence." Sirius said.

"Oh, please, Sirius. You knew him for years before I met him." Florence said. "You know that he has the endless gift of annoyance. This fight is ridiculous." she sighed. "He did the same thing with Remus once."

"Remus was interested in you?" Sirius asked.

The twins looked at their mother, that was some new information for them.

"Yes, but that's water under the bridge."

"When was it?" Nicholas asked.

"You two were little." Florence said, sipping her tea. "Sirius had just been arrested. Remus helped me take care of you when Eileen couldn't."

"What did dad do against Uncle Remus?" asked James.

"Severus nearly attacked Remus in front of you. And some years ago, when Remus was teaching at Hogwarts, he let it slip in the breakfast table that Remus is a werewolf; that made him ask for his demission." she looked at Sirius and then at the twins. "Can we, please, change the subject?"

And so they did.

* * *

Sirius stayed a few more hours in the Snape's house. He spent the day talking to the twins and Christopher.

During the whole day neither Snape nor Elizabeth showed up. Snape spent the day in the basement lab and Elizabeth went to her bedroom. Florence played with her baby daughter and read a book in the library.

* * *

It was nearly time for dinner when Sirius went looking for Florence to say goodbye. He found her in the living room, watching some cartoons on TV with Chris and Sophie asleep beside her on the couch.

"Flor." he called her in a soft voice. "I just want to say bye. I better go back to Grimmauld Place before Kingsley comes looking for me."

Florence got up from the couch and hugged him.

"You take care, Sirius."

"You too." he took a step back, both his hands on her waist, his eyes fixed on her face. "You're amazing, you know? You're gorgeous… motherhood looks good on you." one of his hands went to her face. Florence put a hand on his arm to stop him.

"Sirius." she said, seriously. "You better go now." she took his hand from her face.

He tried to take a step towards her anyway and he was flying to the wall in the next second. A furious Snape was by the door that led to the basement lab, wand in hand. Sirius got up from the floor, his arms raised in a sign of yield.

Christopher woke up and stood up on the couch, looking from his father to Sirius. Sophie began crying.

"Severus…" Florence called as she picked up Sophie in her arms.

Snape didn't look at her, but he understood: no fighting in front of the kids.

"Get out of here, mutt." he spoke in a soft deadly voice. "Get out while you're still alive."

Then Sirius transformed into his dog form and left through the front door a house elf had opened for him.

Florence calmed Sophie down and looked at her husband.

"I don't want to see him near my family ever again." Snape said looking at her. "He's still interested in you." he growled this time. "I don't want him near you."

"I understand." she said.

He put his wand into his pocket and went back to the basement lab.

Florence sat back down on the couch. Little Sophie sleeping in her arms.

"Dad was really angry…" Christopher murmured.

"Yes, Chris. But not at you, you know that right?"

"I know." the boy stared at his hands for a while and then looked at his mother. "I kinda liked Sirius, but if dad doesn't like him I'll try not to like him either."

Florence smiled at her son.

They watched TV until Mellody told them dinner was ready.

* * *

**Later that night**

Florence put Chris and Sophie to sleep and went to her bathroom. She hadn't seen her husband since the incident took a quick shower, turned off the water and picked up a towel to dry herself. She let her hair down – she hadn't washed it and turned around to hang the towel. But suddenly she found herself trapped between the shower stall glass and her husband's body.

"How many times will I have to prove to you that you're mine?" Snape's voice in her ear, his breath smelling of firewhiskey.

"Severus…" she could feel his hands on her thighs, holding her tightly against his body and her body was heating against his, her skin warming up with his strong dominating presence behind her.

"You're mine." he growled in her ear, licking and biting her neck.

He turned her around to face him and took her lips. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, her hands going to his hair. Their tongues battled and twined as mewling whimpers escaped Florence's throat. He lifted her to the sink cabinet and opened up his pants, freeing his aching cock. He attacked her nipples next, the head of his dick close to her entrance. Florence moved her hips trying to create more friction between her legs. His hands held her hips down, not allowing her to move.

"No… please." she moaned. "More!"

His lips and teeth were on her throat and nipples, he growled against her throat. And then his cock plunged inside her, forcing its way in, stretching her with a deep thrust. Florence arched her back, shouting his name and then whimpering as he worked furiously against her body, fucking her like a madman. His mouth suckling on her nipples, biting, marking her body. Florence rested her feet on his lower back, opening her legs further, allowing him to see his member sewing in and out of her.

"Look at you…" he said, his voice rough. "Taking my dick as deep as possible and still asking for more… you're mine!" and he plunged deep inside her, making her shout, forcing more cream out of her channel.

"Yes." she panted and moaned. "Fuck me. More!"

"There's nothing as sexy as you right now… your body melting in my arms, your pussy sucking my cock deeper." he finished with a hoarse moan.

Florence's breath hitched and she came, clenching around his member. But he didn't stop fucking her body.

"I'm going to fuck you until neither of us can move," he whispered against her neck, never stopping his hips. "You're mine!"

"You know I would never let him kiss me, Sev." she moaned.

Snape thrust deeper inside her, harder.

"You. Are. Mine! And I'll show it to you…"

"Oh, yes! I'm all yours!" she moaned as he kept on fucking her.

Only when they were both too tired to keep on, he spilled his seed inside of her, feeling her body sucking it all from him. Then they went to bed, sleeping as soon as their heads hit the pillows.


	59. Chapter 59

**Chapter Fifty-nine**

**At Grimmauld Place**

**April 1996**

Snape opened the door and Florence walked in before him, he followed her closely. They walked to the end of the narrow hallway, hearing talking and laughter coming from the kitchen. As they entered it, all the voices quieted down. Remus was the first one to get up and greet them.

"Florence! How are you, dear?" Remus hugged her.

"Fine, Remus." she smiled.

Snape only nodded his head once, acknowledging Remus' greetings, then he turned to his wife:

"Miss Delacour, I'll wait for you downstairs, in the basement lab, so we can begin working."

"I'll be there soon, Prof. Snape." she replied.

"Come with me, I want you to meet someone." Remus said.

They walked to the living room, some people were already in there, including a woman Florence remembered she had seen once at Hogwarts.

"This is Tonks." said Remus, stopping in front of the pink-haired woman.

"Andromeda's daughter!" Florence exclaimed. "Nice to meet you."

"You knew my mother?" asked Tonks.

"Yes. I used to come here to Grimmauld Place almost every weekend." said Florence. "Narcissa and your mother were great friends of mine. Bella never liked me though."

"Florence!" exclaimed Molly Weasley walking into the living room and coming towards her. "How are you, dear? And your daughter?"

"We're both great, Molly. Thanks for asking."

"Why didn't you bring her tonight?"

"I came here to work, Molly. I'll help Prof. Snape downstairs with the potions for the Order."

"Ah! Severus and his potions! Always in that lab downstairs! It's a shame you're married, Florence; a pretty young woman like you could definitely unfreeze his heart."

"True." Remus laughed.

"But let me introduce you to my children, Florence." Molly said taking her hand and pulling her upstairs looking for the Weasley's children. They found them all in a room upstairs. "These are George and Fred, Ginny and Ron." Molly pointed them as she talked.

"Nice to meet you all." said Florence.

"You've been to Hogwarts, haven't you?" asked George.

Florence nodded.

"I have three more." Molly continued. "Bill, Charlie and Percy, but they don't live with us anymore. They're working for the Order though. Well, except for Percy…. AH! And this is Harry Potter as you probably know already." she introduced the boy that had just entered the room followed by a bushy-haired girl. "And this is Hermione Granger."

"We've met." said Hermione smiling. "Miss Delacour has been to Hogwarts a few times in the past to help Prof. Snape; she was there during the Triwizard Tournament as well."

" So you're really friends with that moody creature, Florence?" Molly asked.

"Yes, Molly. And Severus can be pleasant when he wants."

"If you say so, dear." replied Molly unconvinced.

* * *

Florence went to the basement lab.

"What took you so long?" Snape asked as she closed the door behind her and walked downstairs. "Was the dog there?"

"No, I was just talking to Molly Weasley. And I haven't seen Sirius since we got here." Snape said nothing. "Sirius is probably dead scared of you since that day." her husband didn't say a word. "What's wrong? I can see something's been bothering you since this morning."

"Dumbledore." growled Snape.

"What did he do this time?"

"He wants me to keep teaching Harry Occlumency."

"And what's wrong with that?"

"Nothing wrong with Harry. But how do you think I feel when I can see the shitty childhood the boy's had? And we could have made it all different… he could have been raised within a loving family but…" Florence hugged him and he stopped talking.

"I know, Sev. I just saw him upstairs and I couldn't even hug him."

"I hate Dumbledore. I'm still pissed that he knew about Crouch Jr. and didn't do anything! Cedric Diggory could still be alive!"

"We better not try to understand what happens inside Dumbledore's head." she softly kissed his lips. "But I think you should keep teaching Harry Occlumency. You can get to know him better this way. You can help him somehow."

"I'm taking that into consideration." he said and kissed her, his hands going behind her back, pulling her to him.

"Sev…" she murmured; his right hand was already underneath her dress, touching her thighs. "We shouldn't…" his mouth on her neck.

The sound of someone trying to open the door made them jump apart.

"It's magically locked." Florence said, her hands on his chest. She kissed him once more before pointing her wand to the door and opening it.

"Prof. Snape… I'd like to know if you two need any help." said Hermione.

"Of course, dear." said Florence. "It'll be great tohave you here helping us."

And the three of them worked in relative silence.

* * *

Florence had to go home right after dinner, she had to feed little Sophie. Eileen was looking after the little girl but Florence liked to stay as long as she could with her daughter. She kissed her husband's lips and hugged a blushing Hermione before leaving the basement lab.

* * *

The two of them worked in complete silence after Florence left; only the sounds of the boiling cauldrons and the chopping of the ingredients filled the air for a long while. The lab was full of fumes and humidity. Hermione's hair was bushier than normal. Snape took out his coat and put it over a chair. It was then that something that looked like a picture fell from it and he didn't notice. Hermione picked it up from the floor. At first, she didn't see anything, but then the image began to form. It was a recent picture of his family. Florence was sitting in the middle, her long hair up in a bun, some rebel curls escaping from it. A pretty little baby in her arms that was smiling and holding her father's finger. Snape was standing on the left of Florence's armchair; a beautiful black-haired girl (that Hermione knew to be Elizabeth) was in front of him. The twins were standing on the right side of Florence's armchair and another boy, the only brown-haired one, was in front of them, his hand resting on his mother's arm. It was a beautiful and simple family picture. They all looked happy and loved. Hermione smiled as she realized how happy her sour Potions teacher really was. Her eyes paused for a while on the taller of the twins. _James_. She felt something every time she saw him.

"What do you have there, Miss Granger?" Snape asked.

Hermione was lost in thoughts about James so she got scared and almost dropped the picture.

"You let it fall… this fell from your coat, sir." she handed the picture to him.

"Ah, yes." he smiled looking at the picture. "We took this picture last weekend." he put it back into his coat. "Just so you know, if any other person had looked at it they would have seen nothing. You can see the picture because you already know about it all."

"It's charmed, I understand." she murmured, nodding. She walked back to her potion. "Can I ask you something, professor?"

"Hermione." Snape began with a sigh. "In all these years I've known you, nothing, not giant chess pieces, nor a basilisk, nor even a werewolf ever stopped you from asking a question."

She blushed and smiled.

"You have a beautiful family, sir." she said. "Florence says your children love you. But…" she hesitated.

"Go on." he said.

"But you're such a bastard to your students, especially with Harry. Why don't you like him?"

" It's not that I don't like Harry, Hermione." he stopped stirring the potion and looked at her. "I worry about him. A lot. Much more than you could ever believe if I told you. When I learned how the Dursleys had treated him all those years, I got even more worried. Harry arrived at Hogwarts hungry for affection. He left a house where no one cared about him to go to a place where everybody knew of him, where people admired and adored him. He was reprimanded and even humiliated while growing up. I feared for his sanity then. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Hermione nodded, her eyes huge. Snape continued: "James and Lily Potter were my friends. James was brilliant, a complete asshole most times, but still brilliant. And Lily was extremely clever and a magically gifted witch. Harry has a lot of potential. I just didn't want him to get too excited about fame, and the temptation was too strong. So while everybody laved him with attention I decided to show him that life is not that easy."

"That's why you give him a hard time." Hermione said. "Everybody makes it easy for him, but not you."

"Someone had to make sure Harry would keep his feet on the ground. That's what I tried to do." he turned back to his cauldron, stirring it slowly. "Nowadays I know Harry hates his fame, but I didn't know that years ago. Everybody doted on him when he arrived at Hogwarts. I couldn't do the same. It wouldn't be the first time that an intelligent and powerful young wizard, hungry for some love and attention, would have had a bad end because he thought of himself better than his friends."

Hermione stared at her teacher in shock. She knew right then that he was talking about himself.

* * *

**Author's note:** Just so you know, Sev has already met with the Dark Lord countless times, but I don't have the patience nor the love to write Death Eaters meetings with tortures and other revolting scenes that they call for. Please, forgive me.


	60. Chapter 60

**Chapter Sixty**

**Padfoot No More**

**May 1996**

That wasshaping up to be one of those nights.

Snape had sent Florence a Patronus earlier saying that Lucius Malfoy planned to invade the Ministry of Magic to retrieve the full Prophecy that night. And in order to make it happen, Harry had been lured into the Department of Mysteries. Florence had spent the last two hours pacing around her living room. Not even baby Sophie could provide enough distraction that night. Florence knew her husband wouldn't be directly involved in the breaking and entering but she feared for Harry. As usual.

"Calm down, dear." said Eileen. "Sit down and drink your tea." she gave Florence a cup.

"I can't sit down, godmother." she took the tea but kept on pacing. "He should have sent me news half an hour ago!" she took care not to shout for Sophie was sleeping in her grandmother's arms. Florence stared at the dark streets through the window. Snape would Apparate to Hogsmeade instead of coming straight home by Floo, for safety reasons.

A few minutes later she saw him walk into the front yard.

"Are you all right?" she asked him as soon as the front door closed, touching his chest. He just nodded. But Florence looked into his eyes and saw something wasn't right. "What happened, Severus? Is Harry ok? What about the Prophecy?"

Snape took his coat off and walked to the couch, sitting down.

Florence sat beside him.

"What's wrong, Sev?" Florence asked.

"Lucius broke the Prophecy." Snape finally began, taking the teacup his mother passed him. "The Lord is furious. But Harry is fine. Physically he is hurt but he'll be ok. Your father tried to control him but failed."

"What aren't you saying? What really happened to Harry?" insisted Florence.

"Nothing happened to the boy." said Snape, sipping from his cup.

"But?"

Snape looked at the stairs, checking if the twins weren't there eavesdropping.

"Black is dead." he murmured then.

"What?" Florence's hand went to cover her mouth and her eyes filled with tears."Sirius is dead?" she whispered.

"Yes. Bellatrix killed him." said Snape. "Harry is devastated."

"That's horrible." said Eileen. "The twins will be devastated as well."

Florence sat closer to her husband and he held her in his arms. She cried against his chest, her hands holding on to his shirt as if he could disappear at any moment.

* * *

**July 1996**

They were having dinner, Florence, Snape and their three younger children.

"Liz, where are your brothers?" Snape asked.

"I don't know." Elizabeth answered quickly.

Her father looked at her and said:

"Don't lie to me."

"They told me they would go to the Diagon Alley to visit those red-headed twins." Liz said.

Snape looked at Florence.

"My sons are friends with the Weasley twins?"

"There's nothing wrong with that, Severus! The Weasleys are a great family." said Florence.

"But they are always getting into trouble."

"As if Jamie and Nick aren't." chuckled Florence.

"Did they say what time they'd be back, Liz?"

"No, dad." she answered but didn't look her father in the eyes.

"Is there something you wish to tell us, Elizabeth?" Snape asked.

The girl shivered and looked at him, quickly.

"I knew you were hiding something." said Snape looking at her intensely.

"Stop it!" Elizabeth shouted, dropping her fork on her plate. "Don't use Legilimens on me!"

Florence put her hand on her husband's arm. He really shouldn't be reading Liz's mind. He looked at his wife.

"Nicholas is dating a girl." Florence explained.

"That's the big secret? Is her family a Dark Lord supporter?" asked Snape.

"No. She's muggle. And I've already talked to Nick about her. I told him he must be careful and not tell her anything until he's certain about their relationship. But…"

Snape used their mental link and asked her: _Are they blessed by the Enchantment? _

To what Florence replied: _I think so. I saw them together just once but I believe they are blessed, yes_.

"Does he know?" Snape asked out loud.

The kids were already used to those weird conversations. They knew about their parent's silent communication ability.

"No. I haven't told him yet. Because of the war. The girl won't be safe near us."

Snape just nodded. Feeling the heavy weight of all his past actions upon his shoulders; if his son couldn't do something as simple as telling the truth to his future wife, it was Snape's fault.

No one said another word, sensing how tense dinner had suddenly become. So they resumed eating in silence.


	61. Chapter 61

**Chapter Sixty-one**

**A Plan**

**August 1996**

Narcissa Malfoy had asked to meet with Snape at what she thought was his house in Spinner's End. Wormtail was hiding in there. And Eileen wasn't living there anymore, she was in Hogsmeade at her son's house.

Snape arrived at the house in Spinner's End, sent the rat to the basement and made himself some tea. He sat on an armchair and waited for Narcissa to arrive. Soon he heard someone knocking on the front door. He got up and opened the door.

"Narcissa." he said and frowned when he saw she wasn't alone. "Bellatrix."

"Snape." Bellatrix said, clearly wanting to be anywhere but there.

He opened the door wider and the two women walked in. He closed the door and turned around to face them.

Narcissa sat in the small sofa and Bellatrix was walking around the room, touching some of his things and books.

"Put it down, Bella. We mustn't touch what isn't ours." he said before looking to the blond woman: "What brings you here, Narcissa?"

"Draco. He's just a boy." she murmured, the tears already rolling down her face. "I shouldn't have come here, the Dark Lord himself forbade me to speak of this."

"If the Dark Lord has forbidden it you ought not to speak." he paused before speaking again: "As it so happens, I'm aware of your situation, Narcissa."

"You?" interrupted Bellatrix. "The Dark Lord told you?"

"And there's nothing I can do to change the Dark Lord's mind." he said, ignoring Bellatrix.

"But... what will I do? My only son is going to die and you tell me there's nothing I can do!?" Narcissa was nearly shouting. "You have no idea! You cannot imagine how painful it is for me to be a witness of what is happening to my son. You don't know, Severus, you're not a father, you don't know what it's like!" she finished sobbing.

Snape took a deep breath. He knew exactly what Narcissa was talking about. The feeling you have when you think you're failing to protect those you love. Oh, yes, he knew it too well.

"It might be possible for me to help Draco." he said. "I'll make sure things don't get out of control in Hogwarts."

"You'll protect him?" Narcissa looked up at him with hope in her eyes. "You'll watch over him for me?"

"Of course. Draco is my godson, it's my duty to look after him, as I've always done."

"Thank you, Severus!" Narcissa got up and hugged him.

"Swear to it." Bellatrix said abruptly. "Make the Unbreakable Vow."

Narcissa looked from her sister to Snape.

He remained silent, thinking of his choices. He knew what Draco had been ordered to do. He had to think about the Order of the Phoenix. And his family. _I can't do this. Florence will be furious..._

"It's just empty words…" Bellatrix kept talking. "He'll give it his best effort, but when it matters most, he'll just slither back into the hole." she smiled sadistically. "Coward."

Snape wanted to kill her right then.

"Take out your wand." he finally said.

* * *

The sisters had left an hour ago. But Snape was still there, sitting on the armchair, thinking. He knew what he'll have to do now. He was trying to find a way out of it. He hadn't really thought about the Dark Lord's plans to Draco; he was certain he'd find a way and the boy wouldn't have to kill Dumbledore. But now, if the boy failed, he'd have to be the one to kill the Headmaster._ And if I don't, I'll die._

The problem was he knew Draco would fail.

He got up from the armchair and started pacing. He couldn't go straight home, he had to talk to Dumbledore first. _Florence will punch me when I tell her what I had to do just now. _He walked to the fireplace, grabbed some Floo powder and went to Hogwarts.

* * *

Snape quickly walked from the dungeons to the Headmaster's office. He gave the gargoyle the password and went upstairs. But as he opened the door he wasn't prepared to see what he saw.

"Dumbledore!" he shouted and ran to the Headmaster.

Dumbledore was on the floor near his table, semi-conscious. A ring with a black broken rock lay by his right hand - his blackened right hand. Snape took him from the floor and put him on the throne-like chair behind his desk. Snape pointed his wand at the headmaster and he realized the cause of the state the Headmaster was in was a curse. A strong curse that was moving through his body. He couldn't reverse it. He tried to concentrate it on the damaged right hand. He muttered some incantations and summoned an energy potion from his lab in the dungeons. As soon as the flask appeared he tipped it down Dumbledore's throat. After a moment or two, Dumbledore's eyelids fluttered and opened.

"Severus…" Dumbledore murmured.

"What on Earth have you been doing?"

"I was cursed by hope, my son."

"What? I obviously noticed that you were cursed, I tried to stop it but it's impossible. I trapped it to your hand."

"The Resurrection Stone." murmured Dumbledore.

"What are you talking about? You almost died and you're mentioning a children's tale!"

"No. That, on the floor, is the real Stone."

Snape looked down at the Stone, not really believing it.

"Did you try to use it?" Dumbledore nodded. Snape still didn't believe it. "And did it work?" Dumbledore nodded again slowly. Snape took the broken Stone from the floor and looked at it closely. "Why did you break it then?"

"To try and stop the curse."

Snape just shook his head and didn't reply to that. He put the Stone on the table and asked:

"Are you feeling better?" Dumbledore nodded. "All right, then. I came here to talk to you about some new changes in our plans. I was forced to do an Unbreakable Vow earlier this afternoon. If Draco fails to kill you I must be the one to do it."

"Oh…" Dumbledore gave a half smile. "That's very convenient."

"Convenient? I come here and tell you I'll have to kill you and you say it's convenient?"

"How much time do you think I have left, Severus?" Dumbledore asked, looking at his burned hand.

"Maybe a year. There is no halting such a spell forever. It will spread, eventually, it is the sort of curse that strengthens over time."

Dumbledore smiled. The news that he had less than a year to live seemed a matter of little or no concern to him.

"I am fortunate, extremely fortunate, that I have you, Severus. Thank you for the time you've bought me. We must plan now. We can't allow Draco Malfoy to kill me, his soul is still untouched by death, it must remain that way." Dumbledore paused and smiled after a moment. "It's perfect!" he shouted suddenly. "You'll kill me proving that you're really on his side, you'll become his favorite and…"

"What? I don't want to kill you!"

"I know that, Severus. But we're at war and it's necessary that I die. I'll die anyway, let's use it in our favor to win this war."

"What about the Order? If I do that they'll be left in the dark about The Dark Lord's plans."

"No. That's where Florence comes in."

"Keep her out of your crazy plans, Dumbledore!"

"Sooner or later she'll have to be involved, Severus. I say that she takes your job, she'll be the informant of Voldemort's plans to the Order. Tom will love to have his daughter back! And she could try to become the Prime Minister; then she would be able to avoid some deaths."

"She won't agree with this."

"She won't have a choice. You made the Unbreakable Vow, you'll have to kill me or you'll die. You've made the choice for both of you, Severus."

Snape just nodded slowly, trying to swallow the hard lump in his throat, and walked out of the room.

* * *

**Snape's House**

Snape went home by Floo. He walked out of the fireplace into the living room, hoping it was empty, but that wasn't his lucky night. All his children but Sophie were there. He tried to contain his anger and frustration and kissed his children before he went looking for Florence. He found his wife watching cartoons on TV with Sophie in the little girl's bedroom.

"Good night." he said as he opened the door.

Florence got up from the bed and kissed her husband.

"I need to talk to you." he whispered.

Florence nodded.

Then Sophie called "Daddy!" and threw her arms up, showing her father that she wanted him to pick her up. Snape picked her and kissed her. Sophie put her head on his shoulder and sighed happily, one hand grabbing some of his hair.

Florence looked into her husband's eyes and knew that whatever it was that he had to say, it wasn't good news.

"All right." she paused and looked at him for a while. "Let's find Eileen so she can look after Sophie while we talk in our room."

* * *

After giving a crying Sophie to her grandmother, Snape and Florence went to their bedroom.

He closed the door and cast a Muffliato before turning to look at his wife.

"You have no idea what happened today." he began. Florence sat on the bed and he sat beside her. "First Narcissa wanted me to do something about your father's plans for Draco. I said it was impossible. So she started to cry and I said I would look after Draco in all the ways I could. But then Bellatrix made me swear to it."

"Oh, no." Florence closed her eyes, imagining the worst. "Tell me you didn't make an Unbreakable Vow." she murmured and opened her eyes to look at him. Snape nodded. She didn't say anything for a while, she just looked to the window and then at him a couple of times. Then she whispered: "I want to punch your nose so bad right now."

"I had to do it! And I had to promise that if Draco fails I'll finish his task."

"But that means…"

"Exactly. That means I'll have to kill Dumbledore."

Florence shook her head.

"And if you don't, you'll die." she said.

"But that's not all." Snape continued. "Dumbledore is cursed. He used a cursed ring that he believed to be the Resurrection Stone and now he has less than a year left to live."

"Oh, no..." she thought about it for a moment. "Well we all knew Dumbledore's antics would get him killed someday. So you'll murder an already dying man. You'll use his death to turn you into my father's favorite."

"Yes."

"You know what is going to happen, don't you? The Order will hunt you, they'll want your head. You'll be a traitor. Things will get even harder for us."

"And there's more." he breathed.

"Oh my Merlin! What else?"

"You'll take my job. My current job."

"I can't teach Potions, I don't have a proper degree…"

"No, not that. You'll be the inside-woman. You'll keep the Order informed about your father's plans."

"You know I'll say no to that." she said.

"You can't. The Order needs you."

"Our kids need me, Severus. And talking about them, they're already prisoners in their own house, and for now only you are directly involved. If I become involved too, where will we hide them?"

"I've thought about it. Inside Hogwarts' grounds there's a house. Nothing as big or as comfortable as this one, but the kids and my mother can stay there. Your father will probably allow you to live with me in the castle if we tell him about us."

"No. We won't tell him anything. At least not at first."

Snape hugged her.

"I know things will get harder." he murmured. "I know you never wanted any part of this war but… we must do something, we can't just let your father win."

"I know that."

"Maybe if you end up being Prime Minister you can help avoid some of the deaths and the tortures."

"I understand your plan. I do. I just fear for our kids. Sophie is just a little more than one year old, Sev." she laid her head on his chest and the tears fell. "What if something happens to us?"

He took her face in his hands and wiped away her tears.

"Nothing bad will happen to us." he whispered over her lips, looking into her eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

In the next morning, Florence went to her older daughter's room. She knocked on the door and entered.

"Good morning, princess." she said, closing the door and going to sit on the girl's bed.

"Morning, queen…" said Elizabeth unenthusiastically.

"How are you?"

"Fine."

"Don't lie, Liz. I know something is wrong. You've been quieter than normal these last few weeks."

"It's nothing, mom."

"Have you been talking to Draco?"

"No. We're not together anymore."

"Why not?"

"I think…" Liz took a deep breath, trying not to cry. "I believe he's become a Death Eater, mom."

"Did he tell you that?"

"No. But in our last letter he mentioned that his father was going to take him to some party, something like an initiation ritual of the Malfoy family. I asked him not to go. I told him what I thought it was and that if he became a Death Eater he shouldn't write to me anymore, for I didn't want…" she began to cry. "He never wrote to me again, mom. Not even a little note, nothing…"

Florence held her daughter, thinking about what she could say to her. She knew what her daughter was feeling and there was nothing she could do to make it better. So she hugged her and let the girl cry into exhaustion.


	62. Chapter 62

**Chapter Sixty-two  
**

**A Gathering At The Malfoy Manor**

**August 25****th****, 1996**

That night there would be a party at the Malfoy's and Snape was going to take Florence. She would see her father for the first time in many years.

The couple Apparated together to the Malfoy Manor. They entered the huge house and found the first floor packed. Some people immediately recognized Florence from Hogwarts. She politely greeted Avery, Nott and the Lestranges. Some curious others came towards her to see who was the newcomer.

* * *

When he noticed the gathering in the middle of the living room, Voldemort got up from his chair and recognized immediately the beautiful woman causing that commotion. He walked to Florence.

"Excuse me, gentlemen." he spoke. "Allow my daughter to come near her father."

And then everybody went quiet. They all looked at Florence.

She walked towards her father not bowing or kneeling when she stopped in front of him.

"You are as beautiful as your mother." Voldemort said, taking her face between both his cold skinny hands.

"And you look worse than I remembered." she said.

Voldmort laughed, cold and emotionlessly.

"You're really my daughter. Who brought you here?" he asked.

"Snape." she answered.

"Severus." he called and Snape took a step forward. "You always surprise me. You'll be rewarded, my faithful servant."

Florence could hardly keep from demonstrating her disgust.

"If you'll excuse me, father." she said, trying to get away from him as soon as possible. "I'll go say hello to Narcissa."

Voldemort nodded.

Florence walked towards her old friend and Draco.

"I'd never imagine it, Florence!" said Narcissa, hugging Florence. "You're his daughter!"

"How are you?" she asked, ignoring Narcissa's comment and looking at Draco.

"We're fine." Narcissa answered. "As well as we can be."

Florence's eyes never left Draco's face. She noticed how skinnier the boy was; his once sparkling blue eyes were now dull and sad.

"What have you been doing, Draco?" she asked him.

The boy didn't answer but his bottom lip trembled and he hugged Florence, whispering in her ear:

"How is she?"

"Angry and sad." Florence whispered and took a step back.

Draco stared at the floor.

_He's just a boy._ Florence thought sadly.

Snape approached them and Narcissa and Draco went towards Bellatrix.

A few minutes later, a house elf appearedwith a tray with two white wine goblets on it. Florence took one and the elf gave the other to Snape. Florence smelled her wine.

"Don't drink it." she told Snape before raising her goblet towards her father and drinking it all.

"How do you tell me not to drink it and then you do it!" he whispered furiously putting his still full goblet back on the elf's tray beside her empty one.

"Nagini's poison." she said, smiling.

He hesitated, looking at her.

" I'm immune, remember?" she whispered, trying to reassure him.

He nodded.

"I was waiting for it. For some sort of test. It also served to test my feelings for you. He knows now."

"About us?"

"Yes. Someone might have mentioned something about us being a couple in Hogwarts. Then we got here together and I didn't let you drink the poisoned knows." she sighed tiredly.

* * *

Hours later they Apparated back to Hogsmeade. Florence walked into their house without saying a word. She took her coat off and sat on the sofa.

"Tiffany, bring me a drink, please." she asked.

The elf, noticing the tense air around her Master and Mistress, just nodded and quickly went into the kitchen.

Snape sat beside Florence.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yes." she whispered. "I'm just tired."

They sat in silence for a while. Her drink arrived and the silence remained for a few more minutes.

"How long do you think I'll be able to do this before I disappear?" she asked in a whisper.

Snape opened his mouth but said nothing. He wasn't expecting her to say something like that.

Florence looked around the silent living room.

"After tonight, our family is in more danger than ever before." she said, staring at her glass, before looking at him. "Because of you, because of your past choices, our family is going to pay the price."

"I've already told you we can't let him win!" he paused. "I must take part in this war to redeem myself from past mistakes… and without you, our victory won't be possible. The Order needs you."

"Our children need me, Severus." she said harshly. "This war, your responsibilities, your mistakes, they are yours! You chose them over us all those years ago, you chose them instead of a family with me."

"There's an us now and we have a family." he replied.

"Sure. But you forget that I hid the boys from you for three years before we finally got together." she got up and went to the stairs. "Nothing will stop me if a time comes and I have to run and hide the kids again."

"You wouldn't dare!" he said worried and angry.

"Tonight you had proof that everything I've ever told you about me is true." she turned to face him. "Do you really think that if I wanted to disappear with the kids you would be able to stop me?"

He didn't answer.

"We promised each other that we would protect our family." she continued. "We said we'd do anything to keep them safe, with or without the other's approval. If necessary, I'll do it and I know you would do the same."

He just nodded.

"I'll take a shower before I see Sophie. You better do the same." she finished before walking upstairs.


	63. Chapter 63

**Chapter Sixty-three**

**Love Means Trouble**

**December 1996**

**At The Burrow, the new Order's Headquarters**

Since Sirius' death no one knew who had inherited the House of Black at Grimmauld Place, so they had to change the Order's headquarters' address. The selected place was the home of the Weasley family, lovingly called The Burrow.

* * *

When Florence and Snape arrived they could hear shouting coming from the kitchen. They ran there expecting something serious to be happening, but they stopped by the entrance. Only Molly, Arthur and Ginevra Weasley were in there.

"I won't allow it!" screamed Molly.

"But I love him! And he loves me!" shouted Ginny.

"But you're putting yourself in danger, Ginny." said Arthur.

"Excuse me." said Florence; and the three Weasleys looked at her, finally realizing that they had an audience. "We've just arrived and we heard the shouting, could you tell us what's going on?"

"Ginny and Harry are dating!" Molly exclaimed as if that was the worst thing possible to happen to her daughter.

"I can't understand why you're so angry about it!" Ginny shouted.

"Ginny you're putting a high price on your head, dear." said Florence.

"What does that mean?" Ginny asked.

"Miss Weasley." Snape began in a soft voice and walked into the kitchen. "Harry Potter is being hunted by the Dark Lord and all those who stand in his way to get to the boy will die. When you say that Potter loves you, you turn yourself into the biggest and easiest way to get to him. If the Death Eaters catch you, they'll catch Potter."

Ginevra didn't reply, the tears still running down her face.

"That's what I want you to understand, Ginny." Molly said. "I can't let you risk yourself like that!"

"So you're saying I shouldn't be with Harry?" the girl asked, her eyes meeting Florence's, looking for some understanding.

"Unfortunately, your parents are right, Ginny." Florence said, walking towards her; she could see in the red-headed girl's eyes the same sadness she saw every day in her own daughter's. "I'm not in favor of this, neither are your parents, I'm sure. We all want you to be happy. You deserve it and so does Harry. But, for now, it'd be better if you and Harry remained distant. It'd be safer for you and for him."

Ginny just lowered her head and left the kitchen.

"It breaks my heart to see her like that…" Molly said.

"You did the right thing, Mrs. Weasley." Snape said.

"I know, but I don't feel good about it." she looked at Florence. "It's so hard to raise kids… we always do what we think is the best for them, but they're never satisfied." then she looked at Snape. "You're lucky you don't have kids, Severus! They definitely take us to an early grave."

Florence just looked at her husband and they shared a smile.

* * *

In that same week, Snape arranged for his children and mother to move into the house inside Hogwarts' grounds that he had told Florence. The kids didn't like it much but they accepted it in the end. They knew it was for their safety.

* * *

**January 1997**

Voldemort took over the Ministry of Magic.

Florence became the Senior Undersecretary; her main job was to supervise who was sent to Azkaban and who wasn't, with or without the proper trial. When people were executed, it was also her job to authorize it. Some deaths could be avoided, but as much as she tried, others couldn't.

* * *

Dumbledore was getting sicker each day.

That night, a cold night by the end of January, the Headmaster was going to have dinner with the Snapes at the house inside Hogwarts' grounds.

Florence finished getting dressed and went to Sophie's room, where Eileen was dressing the little girl.

"Are Nick and Jamie home, godmother?"

"No, dear. They left to take Anne home. Liz and Chris are in the library."

"I thought so. Dumbledore sent them some new books from Hogwarts." said Florence, taking Sophie in her arms. "Let's go downstairs to wait for Sev and Dumbledore."

* * *

As soon as Snape and Dumbledore arrived, Liz and Chris gathered around the Headmaster with questions about the books he had sent**.**

Snape kissed his wife and Sophie jumped to his lap. He played with his daughter for a while and then passed her to Florence again; he wanted to shower before dinner.

After Snape had showered, the dinner was served. Tiffany and Melody's food was as delicious as always. They were having a really pleasant night, but Nicholas and James had yet to show up. Florence knew something wasn't right. She got up from the table and phoned Anne's house. No one answered. She sent the twins a Patronus before going back to the table.

* * *

Three people were running like crazy through London's streets.

"We're lost, you imbecile!" shouted James.

"But we're still alive, moron!" Nicholas shouted.

"Keep running!" exclaimed James.

"Can anyone explain to me what's going on?" asked the beautiful young woman running hand in hand with Nicholas.

"Anne, wait til we get to a safe place, then we'll explain everything to you." said Nicholas.

"A safe place? What on Earth are you talking about, Nick? I don't even know why we're running!" she made them stop. "Take me back home, now! What if something happened to my parents?"

"Something did happen to your parents, Anne. They're dead!" James shouted at her. "And so will we if we don't keep running."

"What are you saying? Where are we going?" she asked.

"Diagon Alley." they answered together.

"What's that?" she asked, confused.

"Shut up and run!" James shouted when he saw that some Death Eaters were getting close to them.

Ten minutes later then entered the Leaky Cauldron and ran through the back door. James opened the passage to the Diagon Alley. All the while Anne was muttering: "What the hell?"

They ran to the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes shop and knocked hard on the door.

"Open the door!" James shouted, his wand pointing at the first floor window. "Lumos maxima."

One of the red-haired twins appeared in the illuminated window.

"What's…?" then he looked down. "James, Nicholas! Wait a minute, guys!"

Less than a minute later the front door was opened.

"Close the door!" James ordered as they entered.

"What happened to you?" asked George, seeing that they were gasping for air.

"Death Eaters." James answered.

"And the lady is?" Fred asked.

"Anne, my girlfriend." said Nicholas.

"And it's her fault we're in this mess!" James shouted. "Mom is going to kill us!"

"Don't you dare blame her!" shouted Nicholas.

"Enough!" Anne screamed and the four men looked at her. "Now," she continued in a calmer voice. "Can anyone please explain to me what's going on here? What was that foggy green thing over my house and why did we run when you two saw it? What is this story that my parents are dead? And how on Earth did James open a brick wall with a stick that can also be a flashlight?" she was hyperventilating.

"We're wizards." James answered.

"No, Jamie!" exclaimed Nicholas, furious with his twin. "Why did you say that?"

"What are you talking about?" Anne asked, not believing him.

"Anne, let's sit down." said Nicholas, taking her to the nearest chair. "Look, love, we really are wizards. Magic is real."

She was shaking her head, still not believing a word he was saying. But before she could say anything, a huge silver wolf appeared inside the shop and she passed out.

"Where are you?" asked the wolf in a female voice. "You two have five minutes to get home. Five minutes! One minute more and you can forget Quidditch, extra classes, girlfriends, parties and your wands!" the wolf stopped talking but remained there, looking at the two black-haired boys with reproachful eyes.

"I suppose this is your mother's Patronus." said George.

The dark-haired twins nodded.

"We better Disapparate." said James. "We'll take Anne with us."

"Thanks, guys, for opening the door for us." Nicholas said to the Weasley twins, taking his girlfriend in his arms.

And they Disapparated.

* * *

**At the house inside Hogwarts grounds**

It was over 11 p.m. when Florence heard the twins arriving in the backyard – the only part of the grounds that was free for Apparition. She opened the back door.

"You two get in and… is that Anne?' she stared at the passed out girl in Nicholas' arms. They entered and sat on the living room couch, where their father was. Snape stood up quickly once he saw the fainted girl that Nicholas had put on the sofa and how disheveled his sons were looking.

"What happened?" he asked James.

"Death Eaters attacked her neighborhood. Her parents are dead." he answered.

"We brought her here 'cause we didn't know what else to do. We ran from them to the Diagon Alley, but then she saw mom's Patronus and fainted." Nicholas explained.

"Did anyone see you two?" Snape asked.

"No." the twins answered together.

"They saw us running but never got close enough to take a good look at us." said James.

"Did you see who was leading the attack?" Florence asked.

"No, but Dark Mark was over her street and her house was one of many destroyed." said Nicholas.

Snape nodded and called one of their elves:

"Melody."

And the elf quickly appeared.

"Yes, Master?"

"Prepare the guest room for Anne."

"Yes, Master!" replied the elf happily.

"Nicholas, take Anne to the guest room. Tomorrow we'll tell her everything." Florence said.

"There's no need for it! James's already told her." said Nicholas accusingly. "He just blurted _we're wizards_!"

"How did you want to tell her? Making flowers magically appear from the tip of your wand?" shouted James sarcastically. "Are you stupid? We're at war if you haven't realized yet!"

"Who are you calling stupid?" Nicholas shouted running towards his brother and pushing him. "You like to pretend you're the strong one, but you're a big coward!"

James pushed his brother and they nearly fell over the coffee table.

"Stop it!' Florence shouted. They obeyed and got up from the floor, looking at her. "Go upstairs, shower and sleep. No more fighting. Please, boys. We have enough problems already." she said.

The twins nodded, noticing how tired their mother looked. Nicholas took Anne in his arms and walked upstairs. James right behind him.

Florence turned around and hugged her husband.

"Do you think it was only a coincidence?" she murmured once the boys were out of sight.

"I believe so, yes." murmured Snape. "No one knows they're our sons, Flor." he kissed the top of her head. "Let's go to bed, love."

She nodded and they walked upstairs.

* * *

After showering and checking on Sophie, Florence went to bed. Her husband was already there.

"I just want this day to be over." she whispered as her head touched his chest and his hands began playing with her hair.

"I'm afraid I have one more thing to tell you…"

"What is it?"

"Dumbledore told me something before we got here tonight. About Harry." Florence sat up and so did he. "All that we've done to keep the boy alive is just so that he can die at the right moment."

"What do you mean?"

"Harry must die in the end."

"But… why?"

"Your father's made seven horcruxes that we know of, right?"

"Yes."

"Harry is the eighth. Your father doesn't know about it. But as long as Harry is alive, a part of your father's soul will keep living too."

"That's why Harry can enter his mind! And Nagini's too! That's why he's a Parselmouth!"

"Exactly."

"But that's so cruel, Sev! It's like we've been preparing the boy like a pig to the slaughter house!"

"I told Dumbledore we'll find a way to make sure that Harry lives in the end; that we won't let him die. But I haven't come to any solution so far."

"We'll think of something. We must." Florence said. "We can't let Harry die!"

"No, and we won't." Snape agreed.

"We'll find a way to make a better future happen." she said, laying her head down on his chest again.

Soon they were both fast asleep.


	64. Chapter 64

**Chapter Sixty-four**

**Everyday life**

**January 1997**

Florence had been sleeping in the Burrow for two weeks already, she was working in their lab, helping Snape with the preparation of some potions for the Order. Her husband had been really busy with the Order's duties and the Dark Lord's orders lately, so she helped him whenever she could.

Spending so much time in the Order, Florence ended up becoming friends with Molly and Tonks.

* * *

It was late night. Florence had already had dinner and showered. She was lying on her bed in the room that was given to her. She missed her husband a lot and her children too. Snape was spending his nights at Hogwarts. They had hardly seen each other in the last fourteen days; they'd met in the potions lab that was built downstairs and in the Malfoy Manor during Death Eaters' meetings, but they hadn't had enough time alone to touch each other, kiss or make love.

She sighed and stared at the ceiling; she closed her eyes and napped for a while. But when she woke up she found it impossible to fall back asleep, so she got up and went downstairs to finish some potions and start others.

The house was silent.

Florence walked through the crocked corridors as noiselessly as possible. When she reached the ground floor, she noticed that the door to the lab was half-open. She was sure she had closed it earlier and only she and Snape had the key. It would be too much wishful thinking on her part to hope that her husband was actually there. So she took out her wand and entered the room, wanting to surprise whoever was in there. She took two steps in and then she saw him.

"Severus!" she exclaimed and ran towards him.

He turned around smiling and opened his arms to get her. He took her wand from her hand and used it to lock the door and cast a Muffliato, then he put it on the table next to his. They kissed passionately, his tongue dominating hers, her hands opening his many buttons, his hands holding her close to his body.

"I need you, Sev." she moaned. "Now!"

He pulled her sweater up her body and over her head. Then he helped her sit on the big worktable as far from the boiling cauldrons as possible. He slid the sweatpants down her legs, caressing her thighs on the way.

Florence undid some of his buttons and forced the rest open, making buttons fly all over the lab floor.

He took his undershirt off before she could rip it apart and unzipped his pants.

He kissed her again, his tongue caressing hers, slowly, making her whimper into the heated kiss. He lowered his head to her neck. Florence arched against him, offering her body to his attack. His teeth rasped over her neck, biting lightly.

"I've missed you." he breathed hoarsely against her ear, going down, leaving a trail of hot wet kisses on her skin from her ear to her breasts. He unfastened her bra and suckled on one nipple. Florence moaned loud. His tongue stroking and licking, his teeth biting slightly. Her nails bit into his shoulders. She wrapped her legs around his waist and tried to pull him closer, needing some friction between her legs.

"Sev, I need…"

"I know what you need." he interrupted, ripping her underwear apart and kneeling on the floor, his head between her legs.

His hands slid beneath her ass to hold her hips in place. Locking his gaze with hers, he licked her entrance, slowly.

Florence arched her back and closed her eyes, moaning softly when one long finger penetrated her. His lips and tongue began torturing her entrance and clitoris. He ate her with hunger, making her scream. He used his thumbs to open her up and pushed his tongue deeper into her. Florence shouted his name and her channel flexed around his tongue. He introduced his finger again, his tongue going up to her swollen clit. Florence's hips jerked and he felt her getting wetter, he moved his finger faster inside her.

"Yes." she gasped. "I'm gonna come. Severus!" she cried out hoarsely.

He felt her channel tighten and pulse around his finger. He stood up quickly, shoving his pants and underwear down his legs. And before she had recovered from her orgasm he poised his dick in her entrance and penetrated her to the hilt in one single thrust. Florence shouted, her nails biting into his arms, her back arched, her head thrown back. She looked so delicious, so hot, and her pussy was so wet.

"I've missed you so much…" he gasped moving slowly inside her. Florence jerked her hips, trying to make him fuck her faster, deeper. "No." he held down her hips, stopping her moves. "I'll do this slowly, I want to feel your body." his voice hoarse in her ear, his hands touching her body, pinching her nipples. "I love to feel you reacting to me…"

"No!" she moaned. "How can you possibly want me to go slowly…" she was gasping for air. "When you keep whispering in my ear like that..." a moan escaped her lips. "Fuck me harder!" she demanded, rolling her hips, taking him deeper.

Snape groaned and his hands held her hips down, making her stop. But she pulled him closer with her legs, forcing his cock deeper inside her. She flexed her channel around his dick and he lost all his control.

"You asked for it." he growled, his hips jerking forward and he began pounding into her. Feeling the muscles of his back flexing beneath her hands, Florence moaned and mewled while he groaned. It wasn't the slow love making he wanted, it was the wild, hard, deep fuck she needed. He fucked her, dominating her body, making her sing his name in pleasure. His lips on her neck, on her nipples, biting, suckling on them. While he drove his dick inside of her with furious thrusts.

Florence couldn't stop the scream that was ripped from her throat when her orgasm took control of her body and her walls clamped around his dick, milking his seed. He groaned against her breasts, his dick as deep as possible inside of her clenching pussy. He felt some of his seed coming out of her. Minutes passed with them like that, slumped on the table, gasping for air, covered in sweat, his dick still inside her.

"I've missed you too, Sev." she finally had enough air to speak again.

He chuckled and kissed her lips. He took his softening dick out of her and helped her sit up on the table. They slowly got dressed. Once they were both presentable again, he unlocked the door and took down the Muffliato spell. They worked on the potions in silence, enjoying each other's company and the post orgasmic bliss.

They were almost finishing the work of that night when someone appeared in the lab's door.

"Florence?" called Ninphadora Tonks.

"Hi, Dora." Florence replied.

"Do you need help tonight?" asked Tonks.

"No, dear. Thanks. But Severus is here helping me."

Only then Ninphadora noticed the man in the lab.

"Oh, good night, Snape." she said.

"Good night, Miss Tonks." replied Snape.

"Tomorrow I'll probably need your help though." said Florence.

"Ok." said Tonks. "I'll just go, now, then." and she left, closing the door behind herself.

"She's been helping you?" Snape asked.

"Yes. I know she's not as capable as Hermione, but she knows the theory so that helps."

"Ninphadora Tonks destroyed my classroom twice. She melted more than twenty cauldrons in seven years and even transformed my classroom into Barbie's classroom with an **Elixir to Induce Euphoria once.**" Florence laughed. He continued: "You think it's funny, don't you? The dungeons were pink for three days! The elves had to clean up the walls manually because no spells could do it."

"I only let her stir for me, she doesn't touch ingredients or add anything to the cauldrons." said Florence, still smiling.

"Her mere presence here is risky enough."

"I like her. She's really kind and funny." she paused, adding some ingredients into a cauldron before resuming speaking: "She's suffering, you know? She's in love with Remus and I know he loves her, but he doesn't feel himself worthy of her love."

"I've seen the way he looks at her." said Snape. "He is probably afraid of putting her life in danger."

"Because of Greyback?" asked Florence.

"Yes. Remus has been working with the werewolves and they are not the cleverest lot. But if they noticed he's in love they'd do everything to find her and do worse things than killing her. Also, he thinks he is too poor and too old for her."

"We could help them. We've played matchmakers before and it worked."

"Times are different now, Flor. We were teenagers."

"One more reason for us to help them! No one knows what may happen tomorrow, Sev. Remus needs someone to help him, to care for him. He deserves to be loved."

"All right." Snape finally conceded. "But how will we convince him that they can be together?"

"That's the easy part. We don't have to convince him of anything; we just have to remind him of the fact that we're married. And if we've managed it, they can do it too."

Snape nodded and they resumed working.


	65. Chapter 65

**Chapter Sixty-five**

**Dumbledore**

**June 2****nd****, 1997**

And the dreadful day had finally arrived.

That night Snape would kill Dumbledore.

Florence went to the castle early for breakfast. She wanted to spend those last hours near the headmaster and also she knew that her husband needed her presence there, even though he'd never admit so.

Dumbledore was really excited, as if he was going to go on vacation to a very cool place very soon. He talked to everybody, ate everything he liked, and made his usual stupid jokes.

Snape, on the other hand, was as sour as ever.

Florence felt nervous and sentimental. She knew she couldn't cry in front of everybody, but that's what she wanted; she had never imagined she would miss the manipulative old bastard so much.

The events of that night had already been carefully discussed and planned.

Snape knew Draco Malfoy was going to get the Death Eaters inside the school through the Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Requirement. Snape also knew Dumbledore would leave with Potter to get some horcrux that he had located. And once the two of them returned to the Astronomy Tower, Snape would kill the Headmaster.

"What's it with you today, Albus?" asked McGonagall. "You're happier than normal."

"Nothing, Minerva. I'm just happy, as you said. Last night I was thinking about my life. And I think fate has been really kind to me. I never had a happy love life or a family to call my own. But when I thought that I'd never have any children, fate gave me two." he looked at Snape and Florence. "And I'm so proud of both of them, even though they're both Slytherins." the teachers at the staff table chuckled. The Headmaster was silent for a few seconds, then he spoke again: "You can all be certain of one thing." his tone was serious now. "No one in this world would have done for me what Severus and Florence have. No one would ever do what they will do for me."

Nobody said a word. The enigmatic sentence hung in the air and they finished eating in silence.

* * *

**3 p.m.**

Florence was having tea with Dumbledore in his office. He could see that she wasn't her usual self, she was too quiet, nervous and had tears in her eyes.

"You know that what I've asked from Severus I couldn't possibly ask from anyone else, don't you?" asked Dumbledore.

"Yes. I know." Florence said, putting her cup on the table and looking at the Headmaster.

"Will you miss me?"

"You know I will." she smiled. "You gave Severus a second chance. You listened to me and gave me a chance when I found out the truth about my father. You kept my secrets and never doubted me. You made me come to the castle to help Severus, even knowing that I was afraid of exposing my kids… and that's what made us get together again."

"I love your family as my own, Florence, I hope you know that." said Dumbledore smiling.

"I know. The kids love you too. We all love you."

"If things could be any different…"

"I know. I don't like the fact that my husband will become your murderer but I don't want to see you withering away because of the curse or suffering in Bellatrix's hands either."

"Thank you, my dear."

* * *

**6 p.m.**

Florence was with her husband in his private quarters. They were waiting for Dumbledore's signal that he had left the school with Harry. They were in the couch, in silence, Florence on his lap, her head on his neck, their hands entwined. They knew what that night would mean to their family. More risks, more danger. Everything would change for the worse.

And then the signal came: one single phoenix feather appeared in front of them and slowly fell into the floor.

"They've left the castle. Harry and Dumbledore are no longer here." said Snape.

Florence got up from his lap and opened the Marauders' Map that Remus had lent her.

"Draco is nowhere to be seen." she said. "He's probably in the Room of Requirement. Neville, Ron and others are watching the seventh floor. Should we warn them?"

"No. Dumbledore is the target. The plan is to go to the Astronomy Tower because I told them that's where Dumbledore is going to be when he returns. They'll got there and wait for me. The students are safe. For now."

* * *

But the plan was not followed. To reach the Astronomy Tower the Death Eaters had to fight against some students and members of The Order of The Phoenix.

* * *

They heard someone knocking on the door. Snape opened it.

"Prof. Flitwick. What brings you here?"

"Death Eaters!" Flitwick shouted. "Severus, you have to go there! The students are being attacked! Albus isn't here! Minerva has no idea where he is!"

"I'll go there." Florence said.

"Excellent, Miss Delacour!" then he paused, realizing something was wrong. "Wait, what are you doing…?" Flitwick began asking but then Snape attacked him and he fell to the floor.

"I'll go find the girls." said Florence, kissing her husband before she left.

It was part of the plan to get Ginny and Hermione away from the battle, for they were precious to the Order so they would probably end up being captured if the Death eaters had the opportunity.

* * *

Florence knew the two girls were near the library, blocking the entrance to the Astronomy Tower. There weren't any Death Eaters there yet.

"Hermione! Ginny!" Florence shouted. "Come with me, Prof. Flitwick is hurt!"

"But we need to help in the fight!" said Hermione.

"A teacher is needing your help, girls! Severus is looking after him, but he'll be of much more aid here than you two."

"Ok. Where is Prof. Flitwick?" asked Ginny.

"In the dungeons! Run!" said Florence.

And as the two girls ran to the dungeons, Florence heard Bellatrix shouting:

"Mosmordre!"

She closed her eyes and hoped no one had been killed, then she ran out of the castle. The plan was for her to wait at home, but she couldn't leave before she was certain her husband hadn't being captured. There were too many aurors in the castle plus the members of the Order. She ran outside and hid behind a huge rock. From there she could see the Astronomy Tower. Then she waited.

After long minutes, she saw Dumbledore and Harry arriving in the Tower. And less than two minutes later Draco was in the Tower too but Harry was nowhere to be seen.

"Soon now…" she murmured, tears already rolling down her face.

Then she saw Bellatrix and other Death Eaters getting to the Tower. For a moment, she thought that their plan had gone wrong, but before anything could happen, Snape was there.

Dumbledore said something but she couldn't hear it for she was too far. Then Snape raised his wand and she saw the green ray of light hit Dumbledore on the chest and the Headmaster fell from the Tower.

Florence held in a sob and waited a bit longer before going home. Some minutes later Snape was leading the Death Eaters out of the castle. Draco was by his side with shock written all over his pale face. Bellatrix set Hagrid's Hut on fire and all of a sudden Harry came running from the castle.

"Snape!" the boy shouted. "He trusted you! Stupefy!"

But Snape just avoided the spell.

"Fight back, you coward! Fight back!" shouted Harry, tears running down his face.

"Don't call me a coward!" Snape shouted.

Florence knew he hated to be called that for it reminded him of his father. She took her wand in her hand ready to intervene if things got serious.

"Sectumsempra!" Harry cast.

Snape just sent the spell back and Harry flew a few meters back hitting the ground. Snape walked closer to the boy.

"You dare use my own spell against me, Potter?"

Harry looked shocked.

"You?" he murmured.

"Yes. I knew you had my potions book… since Slughorn began telling me how amazing you were in potions, that you had inherited Lily's talent for potion making. I knew it then. Yes, Potter, I'm the half-blood prince." said Snape before turning around and walking away.

Florence waited until her husband and the Death Eaters were far away and then she ran to where Harry was.

"Are you all right, dear?" she asked, kneeling by his side.

"He… he killed Dumbledore!" the boy cried. "I couldn't… I didn't do anything!"

"Come on, dear. Let's get up." she helped him stand up. "Now, run to the castle and tell the others. I'll try to reach the Death Eaters." she lied.

The boy ran to the castle and Florence walked to the house her family was using inside the school grounds.

* * *

Once she entered the house, she saw that everybody was in the living room. She dropped her coat on the sofa and started to cry. The twins helped her to the couch.

"It's done." she murmured.

And they all knew what that meant.

* * *

When Snape finally arrived home, only silence greeted him. He took out his dirty cloak and left it in the laundry room. Then he slowly walked upstairs to his bedroom, trying not to think about what he had done earlier. He didn't want to think that there was no more Dumbledore in the world and it had been his wand that had cast the killing curse. He knew he had saved Dumbledore from an agonizing death by the curse or by Bellatrix's hands, but that didn't alleviate the fact that he had been the murderer. He had assassinated the man that had believed in him and had given him a second chance when he'd asked for it. Snape walked into the bedroom and stopped when he saw what was happening in there. The bed had been enlarged and all the kids were there sleeping around Florence. He took a deep breath, trying not to cry, and walked to the bathroom, feeling the strong need of taking a shower; a shower that could clean not only his body, but also his soul.

* * *

**Meanwhile in Hogwarts**

Everybody stood around Dumbledore's dead body.

"What happened?" asked McGonagall crying.

"Snape!" Harry shouted, running towards them. "He killed Dumbledore! Snape did it!"

"What are you talking about, Harry?" Remus asked, confused.

"I saw him doing it! He cast the killing curse! Snape killed Dumbledore. And he begged, Dumbledore asked Snape not to do it, but the bastard did it anyway!"

"But… that doesn't make any sense." Remus murmured.

"Albus trusted him!" McGonagall shouted. "We all trusted him! He was like a son to me!"

"We'll hunt him down." growled Alastor Moody. "From now on he's our number one target."

* * *

Dumbledore was buried the next day.

The students were sent home.

Hogwarts was closed.

* * *

**Author's note:** Yep. Shit hit the fan and now everybody is fucked.

Well, all I have to say is that I couldn't find the exact date Dumbledore died. According to Rowling, it was in 1996 (I believe she considers the moment he was cursed as the moment of his death) but according to HP Lexicon he died in June, 1997.


	66. Chapter 66

**Chapter Sixty-six**

**Someone Else Knows The Truth**

**August 1997**

The Daily Prophet brought the first news about Snape since Dumbledore's death:

HOGWARTS HAS REOPENED WITH A NEW HEADMASTER

Severus Prince Snape has just been nominated Hogwarts' Headmaster by the new Minister for Magic, Phius Tickneese. Snape is a respectable member of the wizarding society and has been working in the school for over fifteen years. Rumors say that Snape was the murderer of Hogwarts' previous Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, but no one has ever found any proof of it. Read more on page 14.

* * *

Tonks was walking with Remus in the Diagon Alley, the Daily Prophet opened in her hands.

"Can you believe this? Now Snape is Hogwarts' new Headmaster!" she said, furiously crushing the newspaper and throwing it into the first garbage can she found.

"I know, it's outrageous!" Remus said. "We all trusted him. I just don't understand it." and that was a recurrent thought in his mind since Dumbledore's death. _Why would Severus kill him? How could Florence have agreed with that?_

"We shared the same roof with him for many years! We had meals together!" said Tonks angrily.

"Yes." Remus replied, not really paying attention to what his girlfriend was saying. His thoughts focused, as usual, on trying to understand Snape's reasons.

"What will we give Fleur and Bill for their wedding?" Tonks suddenly asked.

"What?" he asked. "Sorry, I wasn't really listening."

"Fleur and Bill's wedding gift. What will we give them?"

"Whatever you choose I know it will be perfect." he paused, hearing his stomach growl. "How about we have lunch at that muggle restaurant we ate in the last time we were downtown?" he suggested.

"Yeah, great idea!"

* * *

They walked into the busy restaurant and went to the salad bar. They took their plates and began serving themselves.

"Don't eat this salad, Remus, it has vinegar in it." said Tonks eating a lettuce.

"Thanks, Dora, I hate vinegar."

"You have always hated it." someone said near them.

Remus turned around and stared at Florence, not believing in his eyes.

"Florence?" he murmured, confused. "What…?"

"Hello. How are you Remus?" asked Florence, smiling.

"What… why…?" he didn't know exactly what to ask her so he decided to begin by the easier question: "How… how are the kids?"

"Can't recognize me anymore, Uncle Remus?" asked a beautiful girl behind Florence. "You're getting old and senile, I gather."

"Elizabeth!" he exclaimed and hugged the girl. "You're more gorgeous every time I see you, girl!" then he looked back at Florence nervously, a heavy question in his eyes. "Are you… are you still living in Hogsmeade?"

"As you already know, no, we aren't." Florence replied looking into his eyes, trying to make him calm down: "We've never left the country, Remus. We've been here all this time." she looked at Ninphadora. "How are you, Tonks?"

"Fine." the auror answered looking strangely from Florence to Elizabeth.

"This is my daughter, Elizabeth." Florence introduced them. "Liz, this is Tonks."

"Pleased to meet you, Tonks. I've heard a lot about you." the girl said, smiling.

The auror didn't reply.

They resumed serving their plates.

"I don't… I don't understand." Remus murmured.

"Really?" Florence asked. "Weren't you in the castle that last breakfast?"

"Yes, I was. But…" and then he remembered it. "Dumbledore said something about trust. About you and Severus; but a few hours after that…" and then he understood. So he smiled and looked at her. "We'll soon see you at the Order, I presume?"

"Yes. Very soon." said Florence, smiling too.

"Let's sit down, please?" asked Elizabeth.

Florence nodded and the four of them sat together at a table. The waiter came and they placed their orders of food and drinks.

Tonks was unusually quiet.

"We'll have the opportunity to talk in the upcoming days, Remus. Fleur is my cousin. I'll be at her wedding." said Florence; then she looked at Tonks who was staring at her and her daughter strangely. "Is everything all right, Tonks?"

"Yes." she answered quickly, asking right after: "Have you spoken with your friend in the last months, Florence?"

"My friend? Who are you talking about?" she asked.

"Snape." Tonks said the name as if it was a disgusting word.

Elizabeth looked at the auror with hate in her eyes.

Florence laughed softly and cast:

"Muffliato." then she looked from Liz to Tonks. "It's yes." she stared the auror.

"What's yes?" Tonks asked.

"Your silent question about Elizabeth's father." said Florence.

"What?!" exclaimed Tonks, shocked. "Are you telling me…?"

"Yes." confirmed Florence. "He's not my friend. He's my husband."

Remus laughed of the expression in Tonks face; she was beyond shocked.

"Is there something I should know?" Tonks asked her boyfriend, angrily.

"Yes. But not even I know all about it yet, Dora." said Remus.

Tonks paused, looking at the beautiful woman in front of her.

"They're probably both spies!" she said suddenly, looking at her boyfriend. "She was with us in the Order, just like him! She knows everything; she's a traitor just as he is!"

"Calm down, Dora." Florence said and looked at her daughter. "Elizabeth, put your wand back into your coat pocket." the girl obeyed, her dark eyes never leaving Ninphadora's face. "Now. I've never told anyone anything that I know about the Order. I'm no traitor. Quite on the contrary. I'm doing all I can to help you. I'm the one giving the orders in the Ministry, Tickneese is nothing but my father's puppet."

"Your _father's_ puppet?" Tonks asked, confused.

"Yes. My father. You-Know-Who is my father." said Florence.

Tonks was shocked into speechlessness.

Elizabeth laughed.

"This must be some sort of sick joke." the auror said.

"No, it's not, dear." said Remus, "I've known Florence since we were both students in Hogwarts. And I already knew about her father."

"So, why, my love, tell me why are we here, having lunch with Snape's wife and their daughter? And as if being the wife of a murderer was not enough she's also the daughter of one!" she was nearly screaming by the end.

Then Tonks glass of juice exploded. Elizabeth was looking at the auror with hate in her eyes again. Thanks to Florence's Muffliato spell, no one in the restaurant heard the noise so nobody looked at them. Florence made all the glass shards disappear with a wandless spell.

"Ok. Let's all calm down now, shall we?" Florence said looking at her daughter.

Elizabeth took a deep breath and stopped looking at Tonks.

"Do the kids know about your father?" asked Remus.

"Yes. They know everything. About my father and about what is really going on. You're the ones that don't know anything yet."

"And what is it exactly that we don't know?" Tonks asked angrily.

"Suffice it to say that Dumbledore asked to die." explained Florence. "He was dying anyway. He was cursed."

"His hand?" said Remus remembering the Headmaster's blackened hand.

"Yes." confirmed Florence. "And all will be explained, very soon."

They resumed eating in silence.

Tonks kept on looking at Elizabeth and the girl just stared back.

"Hm… Liz, you're fifteen, right?" asked Remus, trying to defuse the situation.

"Yes, next month I'll be fifteen." said Liz.

"Where are you studying?" he asked.

"Beauxbatons. But I'm not going this year. It's not safe."

"And the twins? How old are they? Eighteen?" Remus asked Florence.

"Nineteen, and please let's not talk about their age." she said.

"Wow. It's been nineteen years, already. We're really getting old…" Remus chuckled.

"Nick is already engaged to a girl." said Florence. "She's muggle. Her family was killed earlier this year. She's been living with us since. James is dating but nothing serious as far as I know, and he's still as stubborn and reckless as always. Liz, as you can see, is beautiful and intelligent, although she's inherited her father's temperament, what makes her a very difficult person to deal with sometimes." Liz looked at her mother and arched one eyebrow. Florence chuckled and continued: "Chris looks a lot like me physically and is as intelligent as his sister."

"And little Sophie?" asked Remus.

"She's mom's little copy. And she's an egoistic shit, she wants dad all to herself!" complained Elizabeth.

"Liz, watch your mouth!" said Florence. "Elizabeth is extremely jealous of her sister. She also can't forgive Sophie for having more clothes than her."

"Sophie doesn't have more clothes than me!" exclaimed Elizabeth.

"Right, she doesn't." laughed Florence, before looking at the auror. "Tonks, are you all right?"

Ninphadora was gaping. She noticed that Florence, Liz and Remus were looking at her so she closed her mouth and started to speak, in a low tone:

"Snape could be innocent, he's married to You-Know-Who's daughter and they have five children. This sounds like something right out of the Quibbler."

They all laughed.

"Yes, Xeno Lovegood would love to publish this, love. But I think not even he would believe it!" said Remus.


	67. Chapter 67

**Chapter Sixty-seven**

**Bill and Fleur's Wedding**

**August 1****st**** 1997**

**The Burrow**

**3 p.m. **

Harry, Ron, Fred, George and Ginny were standing outside the great, white marquee in the orchard, awaiting the arrival of the wedding guests. Harry had taken a large dose of Polyjuice Potion and was now being introduced as 'Cousin Barny Weasley'.

"When I get married," said Fred, tugging at the collar of his own robes, "I won't be bothering with any of this nonsense. You can all wear whatever you like, and I'll put a full Body-Bind Curse on Mum until it's all over."

"She wasn't too bad this morning, considering," said George. "Cried a bit about Percy not being here, but who wants him? Oh blimey, brace yourselves – here they come, look."

They all looked to the front yard, where guests were starting to appear.

"Who are those?" asked Fred staring at a woman and a teenage girl that were walking toward them.

"The woman is Florence Delacour, she's been to Hogwarts a few times in the past. Remember, Ron? " Harry/Barny asked. "The girl I don't know."

"She's hot and the girl is beautiful!" said Fred.

"They're probably sisters." said Ginny. "I'll go there. Mom told me to help the Delacours find their seats." and she walked toward Florence and Elizabeth and led them to their table.

After a few minutes, Remus and Tonks arrived.

"Hey, guys! Where do you want to sit?" asked Fred.

"Is Hagrid here already?" asked Remus.

"Yes, there he is!" pointed George.

Remus looked at where he was pointing but then he saw Florence and Liz.

"Aren't those…?" Remus began to ask, looking at them.

"They're really here!" Tonks exclaimed when she saw who her boyfriend was seeing. "What are they doing here?"

Remus didn't answer his girlfriend, instead he turned to Fred and said:

"We'll sit with them."

Then they walked to Florence's table.

Tonks stared at Elizabeth as they were getting closer.

"She really looks like Snape." she whispered.

"That's because you already know who she is. To those who don't know, she'll look nothing like her father. It's as illusion spell. All their children generally use it when they leave the house."

They stopped by the table.

"Mind if we join you?" asked Remus.

"Of course not. Sit, please!" Florence said, smiling. "How are you?"

"Fine." answered Remus sitting down.

"Nice to see you again, Dora." said Elizabeth with a smile.

"Nice to see you too." Tonks replied, understanding that the girl was trying to make peace because of the last time they had seen each other. "Beautiful dress." she said sitting beside her boyfriend.

"Love your blue hair." said Liz. "I wish I could change mine."

"But why? Your hair is beautiful."

"I wish it was straight. The curls are very difficult to take care of every day."

"If you had straight hair you'd freak me out." said Tonks. "'Cause, I was your father's student and, well, he never liked me… I have no talent for Potions and I'm a Hufflepuff, so humiliation was all I ever got when taking Potions classes."

"Yeah, dad can be very unpleasant when he wishes to be." said Elizabeth, smiling.

"I know another person who's just like him." said Florence looking at her daughter.

Liz ignored her mother.

"I don't understand how the students are so afraid of him." she said to Tonks.

"_Aren't_ you afraid of him?" Tonks asked.

"Of course not!"

"Elizabeth's been arguing with her father since the day she spoke her first word. Which was _'Dad'_ by the way." said Florence.

"You really remind me of him." said Tonks to Elizabeth.

"And you remind me of pink dungeons and damaged cauldrons, Miss Tonks." said a tall blond man arriving at their table and sitting beside Florence.

A teenage boy that had come with the stranger sat beside Remus. Tonks stared at him, her mouth opened.

Florence kissed the blond man and Elizabeth looked at the stranger, shocked, realizing that he was her father.

"You said you wouldn't come. I'm glad you're here." Florence said to her husband. "And why did he come?" she asked looking at James, not liking that he was there.

"I asked James to come with me to ensure your safety. Am I French enough?" Snape asked Liz.

"You look awful." the girl said making a face. "Looking like that not even Longbottom would be afraid of you."

Remus put a hand on Snape's shoulder and said in a low voice:

"I'm sorry for doubting you, my friend."

"Don't worry about it, Remus. I knew it would be like this." Snape said.

"What do you mean when you say that you brought James to ensure our safety?" asked Florence, worried.

"That something bad is going to happen. Is Harry here?" Snape asked, his blue eyes scanning the party.

"He's over there." pointed Remus.

"The fat little red-haired boy?" asked Snape.

"Yes. They call him Barny." said Florence.

"He shouldn't be here." Snape murmured.

"Why not?" asked Florence.

"I came here to warn you." he looked at Tonks. "Close your mouth, Nymphadora, and pay attention." then he proceeded talking to Florence. "There'll be an attack here soon. The Death Eaters have found a way to pass through the protections; after the ceremony, when everybody is drunk and with their guards down, they will attack. I want you three out of here and Harry has to go too. And that's the other reason why I brought James."

"Yep." said James, quickly getting up from his chair. "So I'll go talk to Granger now. Excuse me." and he walked toward the chestnut-haired girl.

"Why did he sound so happy about talking to her?" Snape asked, showing confusion.

"Don't worry about it, Sev." Florence said. "Will you stay here during the attack?"

"Yes. I'm the one leading it." he whispered, not looking at her, knowing that she wouldn't like that.

Florence went silent, her green eyes staring at him with concern.

Elizabeth also looked at her father in worry.

Tonks just looked from Snape to Florence. The couple noticed that she was staring at them open-mouthed so they looked at her. She closed her mouth and tried to speak:

"What…? H'm… Who is that?" she pointed James.

"That's our eldest son, James. He has a twin, Nicholas; who is probably at home with his fiancé." answered Florence.

"Oh, my Merlin!" exclaimed Elizabeth. "Who are those?" she was pointing two people covered in yellow in the middle of the dance floor.

"Those are Luna and her father, Xeno Lovegood." said Tonks. "She's a very sweet girl."

"She's a Ravenclaw." said Snape. "Very intelligent; although she gives a broader meaning to the word eccentricity."

"Intelligent? No way, dad." said Elizabeth. "Even a poorly gifted person would know that you can't wear a yellow dress with a yellow hair. It's insulting."

And they all had to agree with her.

* * *

After some minutes, Snape took Elizabeth to the dance floor.

Tonks stared at them with an incredulous expression.

"What's wrong, Dora?" asked Remus.

"Remus, if I got up and told everybody that that man there dancing with that beautiful girl is Snape and that she's his daughter and that the other handsome guy over there with Hermione is also his son…"

"Everybody would agree that you've drunk one too many, my love." he replied, understanding her incredulity.

* * *

James stopped in front of Hermione, giving her his best smile and saying:

"So I finally get to talk to the famous Hermione Granger."

"I'm not famous." she replied harshly. "And I know exactly who you are. If you have forgotten. Also, I know who your father is. So what are you doing here?"

"Fleur is my mother's cousin, Miss Granger." he said, still smiling; he invaded her personal space and Hermione trembled slightly. "I was invited to this wedding."

"All right. Enjoy the party then." she said and tried to walk away.

But he held her arm and whispered into her ear: "When could I have ever imagined that the insufferable know-it-all whom I've heard so much about in the past was in fact a gorgeous woman?" he used the alluring tone of voice he'd inherited from his father to play havoc with her body. "If I had known that, I'd have become a member of the Order of The Phoenix ages ago. Just so I could be close to you."

She looked from his eyes to his lips. They were too close. He was too handsome to be ignored and his voice - a tiny bit different from Snape's, but just as sexy - was making her lose control of her body. There was no girl in Hogwarts that hadn't, at least once, dreamed about the sour Potions Master and his voice. And then, right in front of her, she had a younger and more handsome version of him. And he clearly wanted her. And she obviously… _Focus, Hermione! _she scolded herself._ His father is a Death Eater! This is the son of Dumbledore's murderer!_ She took a deep breath before saying:

"Thanks for the compliment, but now I have to…"

"Dance with me." he interrupted, already pulling her to the dance floor.

"What? No!" she said in a low voice, trying not to call attention to them.

James stopped, pulling her toward his body and holding her close.

"Dance with me, please." he whispered looking into her eyes.

Hermione didn't have enough strength to resist him, so she simply nodded and James held her by the waist, pulling her even closer to him, fitting one of his legs between hers. A slow romantic song was playing, so they danced.

* * *

"What the hell is that?" Snape asked. "Why is James dancing with Granger? He was supposed to talk to her not…"

"Seduce her?" Elizabeth teased.

Snape looked at his daughter, furious.

"No way!" he muttered. "He can't be… no. Just no."

"Whatever comforts you, dad." said Elizabeth. "But Nick's told me that James looked at Granger in a very strange way the first time he saw her at the Quidditch World Cup."

Snape looked at Florence. She had a small smile on her lips as her eyes followed their son and Hermione through the dance floor.

_Are they...?_ he asked her by their mental link.

_Maybe._ Florence answered.

"I can't believe it!" he exclaimed.

But then something changed and Snape got serious.

"What is it, Sev?" Florence murmured.

"Now. They're getting closer. Once the protections are broken you two have to get out of here." he ordered his wife and daughter.

"But…"

"No _'but'_, Florence. I don't want Liz in the middle of what's going to happen here. Prisoners will be taken." he said, his tone brimming with hidden meaning.

Florence nodded, understanding that tortures, rapes and death were about to ruin that beautiful party.

* * *

James saw when his father changed his demeanor. He put their plan into action then.

"Hermione, I have a message for you." he whispered in her ear. "I want you to look at the table where my mother is sitting."

The girl did as he had asked.

"Is that your father?" she asked looking at the blond man.

"Yes. I need you to put your brilliant mind to good use right now. And quickly. Do you really think my father did what Harry's accused him of doing?"

"Harry saw him kill Dumbledore." she replied. "Why are you showing me that he's here? What's going on?" she asked with a worried tone.

They stopped dancing. James put his hands on her arms, making her look at him.

"There'll be an attack here at any moment now." he whispered. "My father needs you to take Harry away from here. Take Weasley with you, if you must. We know you three have a plan that you think no one else knows about. Well, my father knows about it and he is here to give you the chance to go and start looking for whatever it is you have to look for."

"An attack?" she asked, taking a step away from him, his hands leaving her arms. "Why should I believe you?"

"Because you know it is true." James said, quickly pulling her away from the dance floor. He found a dark corner behind a column and pushed her there, her back hitting the column. He stopped in front of her, very close to her. "My father is innocent, Hermione. Dumbledore was cursed and dying; he asked my father to kill him, so they could use his death to convince the Dark Lord that my father was really on his side."

"But this is all…"

"True!" James interrupted. "I've got no reason to lie to you! You helped my mother when she went into labor that time in Hogwarts. Mom likes you. And I more than like you." he got closer to her, his dark eyes staring into her brown ones, one of his hands going under her chin, making her tilt her head up. He searched her face for any sign that she didn't want that, he found none, so he kissed her softly. His tongue slowly traced her bottom lip and she opened up for his invasion. He took her mouth, his tongue touching hers, caressing it sensuously.

Then a loud noise followed by screams made them jump apart.

"Take Harry and leave!" James shouted before running to his mother's side.

Florence, Elizabeth and James Disapparated.

Hermione ran toward Harry and Ron and Disapparated too.

* * *

When the Death Eaters had finally left, The Burrow was destroyed beyond repair.

Molly Weasley was crying in her husband's arms.

"What will we do now, Arthur?"

"I don't know, dear."

"Where will we all go?" she cried.

"You can come to my house, Molly." said a slightly wounded Remus. "My parents left me a good house. It's not huge but it has enough rooms so that you'll all stay comfortable."

"Thank you, Remus!" Molly hugged the werewolf.

* * *

Remus' house needed some adjustments but within two days everybody was comfortably settled. His house became the Weasleys' new home and also the new Order of the Phoenix's Headquarters.


	68. Chapter 68

**Chapter Sixty-eight**

**Rescue mission**

**Two weeks after the Wesley-Delacour wedding**

Florence was at Hogwarts, in the Headmaster's office, spending some time with her husband. They didn't have much to talk about; and whatever subject they did have to talk about was nothing but bad news for the Order was not winning that war in any way. Voldemort had already taken control of the Ministry, the Daily Prophet, Hogwarts and had shut down the Quibbler by kidnapping Xeno Lovegood's only daughter, keeping her a prisoner in the Malfoy Manor.

Florence and Snape were on the couch in front of the unlit fireplace.

"Have you already sent Harry the sword?" she asked, her head on his lap.

"Yes."

"That's good." she paused, sighing and closing her eyes. "And worrisome."

"Yes. It won't be long now." said Snape, as worried as her. "The end of the war is getting closer."

"As bad as that sounds, I feel relieved somehow." Florence said. "I don't know how long we'll be able to keep living like this."

"I know what you mean…" he agreed.

Then they were interrupted by hard knockings on the door.

Florence quickly got up from the couch and hid herself behind the long curtains.

"Come in." said Snape, getting up from the couch and sitting down on the throne-like chair behind his desk.

The Carrow twins ran in and spoke at the same time:

"The've got Potter!"

"What? Who?" asked Snape.

"The Snatchers. And they took him to the Malfoy Manor." said Alecto, smiling.

"Is it really him?" asked Snape.

"Yes, Headmaster." confirmed Alecto.

Florence felt her blood boil. She hated Alecto and the way the woman hit on her husband all the time, always smiling at him, using any excuse to touch him; and the way she spoke _Headmaster_, always with a certain sexy tone. _Gosh, how I hate her! Why can't she just drop dead?_ thought Florence.

"Draco has confirmed it is really Potter." said Amycus.

"And why was it necessary that Draco confirmed it?" asked Snape.

"Potter was somehow disfigured." explained Amycus. "Looks like that mudblood friend of his hit him with some weird spell that made him nearly unrecognizable."

"Belatrix has already called the Dark Lord. He'll probably kill the boy the moment he gets there!" said Alecto happily. "Tonight we'll be victorious!"

"Yeah!" exclaimed Amycus.

They both looked at Snape, expecting him to be as happy as they were. But Snape just stared back at them.

"Thanks for letting me know." Snape said. "If the Lord calls us, we'll go. Until then, we'll all stay here where he has told us to stay, doing what he has ordered us to do."

The twins reluctantly nodded, clearly disliking the fact that they couldn't go to the Malfoy Manor to see Potter's death.

"You two can leave now." said Snape.

The twins left in silence.

When the door closed, Florence left her hiding place.

"Muffliato." she cast before asking, worried: "Do you think it's true?"

"We know Harry can be really stupid sometimes, so, yes, it could be true." Snape ran his hands through his hair, something he only did when he was really nervous.

"What will we do?" she asked.

He stared at his wife, understanding what she was thinking about doing.

"I can't go there rescue him and neither can you." he said.

"Well, I can't go there looking like myself, but I could go if I looked like somebody else and kept my mouth shut." said Florence.

"Yes. But how exactly will you prepare a Polyjuice Potion in the next few minutes?"

"No need to. I already have it done." then she took a medium shiny vial full of a brownish liquid from her coat pocket. "I prepared it last month and put it in a stasis spell. And here is who I'll be turning into." she took another vial from her pocket, this one smaller and containing some hair strands.

"And whose hair is that?"

"Tonks." Florence put it on the table beside the other vial. "Now all I need is someone to put me inside the dungeons of the Malfoy Manor. And I believe I can get out of there by myself, am I right?"

"To get you in is easy. Dobby!" Snape called." And there is that spot on the back yard of the Manor that is free for Apparition, do you remember where it is?" Florence nodded. "Good, you can leave through there."

In a few seconds, the small elf appeared in the office.

"Did you call Dobby, sir?" asked the elf.

"Yes." Florence replied.

And Dobby looked at her, finally noticing that she was there and quickly recognizing her from the pictures Narcissa had from when she was a child and Florence used to go to the Black's house.

"Harry Potter is in trouble, Dobby, and I need your help to save him." said Florence.

The small elf looked confused for a moment. He looked from Florence to Snape for a few seconds, then he seemed to have understood what was happening and smiled a big smile.

"Dobby see." he said. "And Dobby will always help Harry Potter and those who want to help him too."

"Thanks, Dobby." said Florence. "Now, I'll drink this potion and it'll make me look just like Tonks, then you'll get me inside the dungeons of the Malfoy Manor and we'll rescue Harry and his friends. Got it?"

"Yes, Miss." said the elf.

Florence uncorked the potion, added the hairs, stirred it and drank it, trying hard not to vomit.

"I had forgotten how horrible that tastes." she said cleaning her mouth and looking nauseated after she finished drinking it.

Then the transformation began and soon Nynphadora Tonks stood in front of Snape dressed in Florence's dress and French coat.

"Do you have any idea how weird this is?" he asked.

"I can imagine." she said laughing. "Now, I only have around thirty minutes, Dobby. Let's go." but before taking the little elf's hand she looked at her husband. "I believe I'm not getting a kiss before I go?"

"Don't you dare try to kiss me looking like that." he growled.

She laughed and Disapparated with Dobby.

* * *

"HERMIONE!" that was the first thing Florence heard when she showed up in the dungeons with Dobby. Well, that and what sounded like a girl being tortured somewhere upstairs.

"What's happening here?" she asked.

Everybody looked at her and Dobby, shocked to see them there.

"Who are you?" shouted Harry. "Don't even try to say you're Tonks! I know you're not her!"

"It doesn't matter now." replied Florence. "I'm here to help. What happened? Where's Mione?"

"Upstairs!" shouted Ron. "Belatrix is torturing her!"

"Who else is here?" she asked.

Harry looked at the other two people there and Florence followed his gaze. Luna Lovegood and Garrick Ollivander were there, both looking dirty and bruised.

"Dobby, take them to Remus' house and come back for us as quickly as possible. Meet us upstairs."

The elf nodded and did as he was told, taking Luna and Olivander's hands and Disapparating.

"Now. We're going to rescue Hermione." she said looking at the two teenage boys.

"How?" asked Ron. "We don't have our wands."

But before Florence could answer, someone was walking downstairs.

Ronald turned the lights off with Dumbledore's Deluminator seconds before Wormtail appeared by the dungeon door.

"Who were you talking to?" asked Wormtail.

"To each other, you imbecile." said Harry.

"O-ok. Now, I'm going to open this door and take the ginger one upstairs. Stay back, Potter!" Wormtail's hand was shaking and he looked frightened. He slowly opened the door, keeping his wand pointed at Harry's face, and grabbed Ron's arm.

Florence chose that moment to show herself.

"How dare you threaten Harry. You filthy animal." she said in a low voice full of hatred.

Wormtail looked at her and went pale with shock.

"No, you…" he whispered, recognizing her voice. He let Ron's arm go and got ready to run upstairs.

"Avada kedavra!" Florence cast._ This one's for Lily and James._

And Wormtail fell to the ground.

Both teenagers looked at her, their eyes as big as saucers.

"You're definitely not Tonks." said Ron.

"It really doesn't matter who I am, boys, all that matters is to get Hermione and escape from here alive; and in less than twenty minutes." she walked by the boys and over Wormtail's body, feeling happy for seeing him dead, and ran upstairs. The boys followed her and they quickly located the room where Hermione was being tortured and stopped by the half-open door, looking at both sides of the long empty corridor.

"What's the plan?" asked Harry in a low voice.

"To use the element of surprise." explained Florence. "We'll scare them by running into the room, then we'll get your wands, save Hermione and find Dobby. In that order. And as quickly as possible."

The two young men nodded although not entirely certain about that plan.

Florence kicked the door open and the three of them ran into the room. She silently cast: _Accio Harry and Ron's wands!_ And two wands flew towards her, she threw them at the boys and a small battle began. Florence dueled against Lucius and two young Death Eaters she didn't know while trying to find Dobby at the same time. Always keeping her mouth shut so no one could recognize her voice; she knocked the three men down and helped Harry and Ron to do the same to Belatrix and her sister, Narcissa. Once both women were on the floor, they ran to where Hermione was lying on the ground, half-conscious, a pool of blood by her arm. Florence kneeled beside her and noticed the ugly word written in her arm. She cast several healing spells, trying her best to minimize the scarring.

"There's Dobby!" shouted Harry.

The elf was hiding behind a column. Florence silently urged him to come towards them.

The two young men held Dobby's hands and helped Hermione to do the same.

Florence stood up and, before they could Disapparate with the elf, she whispered in Harry's ear:

"I'll soon see you again. When that happens, I'll be looking like myself and I'll tell you an impossible story. Be sure to trust me then." then she ran from the room to the backyard, where she found the free Apparition spot and Disapparated.

* * *

She had Apparated home, directly into her bedroom. There she waited for the Polyjuice Potion to wear off and took a shower. When she walked out of the bathroom, she met her husband's Patronus sitting on their bed. The big silvery wolf just stared at her, angrily. She smiled at him and cast her own Patronus, a big female wolf.

"Tell my dear husband that I'm fine." she said to her Patronus. "Harry and his friends are safe. Luna Lovegood and Ollivander were rescued too. And Wormtail is dead."

Then both wolves disappeared.


	69. Chapter 69

**Chapter Sixty-nine**

**The Order Learns the Truth**

**At the Order's Headquarters a.k.a Remus' house**

Molly was waking up from a nap on the couch when Tonks arrived.

"Hey, Molly, need help with dinner?"

"Yes, dear. I'm still thinking about what I'll prepare." she sat up. "Have you seen the wedding photos?"

"Yes. I even got a copy of one of the pictures, the one where Remus and I are sitting at the table with some of Fleur's relatives."

"Why did you sit with strangers?"

"Oh, no, they weren't strangers. Remus knew them. Florence was his classmate in Hogwarts. She was at the party with her husband, her daughter and her eldest son. Look." Tonks took the photo album from the coffee table and showed Molly the picture.

"But… I know this woman." said Molly, pausing and thinking for a second. "This woman is Florence!" she suddenly exclaimed. "Dumbledore introduced her to us in the first Order meeting! I remember her now! She was pregnant. Did you know that she lied to us? She's working for the Ministry now! Some say she's even married to Snape!"

"How do you know that?" Tonks asked.

"Before being sacked, Arthur overheard Umbridge complaining about some woman she called Snape's bitch. Apparently, Snape and this Florence are a couple. And I believe that's true, because, as I recall, she was always with him! Every meeting she arrived with him and left with him! They have to be married or something!"

"She told us she is Fleur's cousin." Tonks said, knowing that Molly had come to the right conclusion.

"And who is this man by her side?" Molly asked still staring at the picture.

"She introduced him as her husband."

"It's Snape! It's him!" exclaimed Molly. "He probably took Polyjuice Potion before coming to the party! I cannot believe it! They easily infiltrated the wedding!" while Molly was shouting a loud cracking noise was heard. She looked at Tonks worried. "Oh, no! Someone's just passed through our protections!"

Then everybody ran outside: Harry, Hermione, the Weasleys, Remus and Tonks. They could see three people walking towards the house. Remus recognized who they were and looked at Tonks. She understood and nodded; the two of them lowered their wands.

"Who are they? Why did you two lower your wands?" asked Molly, confused.

"Hey, George! Aren't those…" began Fred recognizing who was getting closer.

"Nick and Jamie!" the Weasley twins spoke together.

Hermione couldn't contain her smile.

"Those friends of yours that are twins too?" Arthur asked.

"Yes. But the woman with them is…" said Fred trying to see who she was.

"She's Mrs. Snape." said Hermione, feeling that she didn't have to keep that secret any longer.

"WHAT?" many screamed.

"It's Florence. She's been to Hogwarts a couple of times…" Hermione tried to explain.

"Are you saying that the beautiful woman that used to go to Hogwarts is married to Snape?" Harry asked incredulous.

"Yes." confirmed Remus.

"I told you so!" exclaimed Ron punching Harry's arm.

Molly looked at Remus, Tonks and Hermione.

"You three knew about her all this time?" Molly accused.

"Y-yes…" confirmed Hermione. "Well, at least I've known about them since the Triwizard Tournament. I even helped her deliver her baby…"

"A baby?" Ron shouted. "The ugly bat has children?"

"Of course! James and Nicholas are…" Hermione began.

"It was so obvious!" exclaimed George looking at his twin.

"James looks exactly like him!" finished Fred not believing how stupid they had been.

"What?! So you two are friends with Snape's children!?" Molly shouted at her sons.

"Stop it!" Remus ordered. "Everybody lower your wands."

"What are you talking about, Remus?" asked Arthur.

"If they wanted to attack us we wouldn't stand a chance." explained Remus. "Florence is here to explain to us what happened the night Dumbledore died."

"There's nothing to explain!" Harry shouted. "I was there! I saw everything!"

* * *

Florence and the twins stopped 10 feet from them.

"Good evening." she greeted them, smiling. "Can we go inside and talk?"

Harry stopped screaming and stared at her, recognizing her voice.

"Hello, Harry. Long time no see. Do you remember me and what I told you the last time we saw each other?" she asked him.

He simply nodded, still feeling very confused.

No one else understood what she was taking about. No one but Ronald; he also had recognized her voice and just stared at her as shocked as his best friend.

"Let's go inside." Remus said.

"I need to talk to all of you; someone needs to call McGonagall, Moody and Shacklebolt" Florence stopped by the front door and looked at her sons. "You two put the protections back up and stay out here watching."

James and Nicholas nodded.

The others followed Remus and Florence into the house.

* * *

They gathered in the living room and waited in silence for the others to arrive. The air was heavy with tension. Harry and Ron stared at her, trying to understand why Snape's wife had saved them and what was she doing there.

McGonagall was the first one to arrive by the Floo Network.

"What happened?" she asked as soon as she left the fireplace. "I came as fast as possible…" then she saw Florence. "What is she doing here?"

"I'm here to introduce myself and give you some deserved explanations." said Florence. "We're just waiting for Moody and Shacklebolt to arrive."

"Why talk only to us? Why not call all the members of the Order?" Arthur asked.

"Because these are the names Dumbledore told me to call." said Florence.

"How dare you speak his name!" McGonagall said disgustedly. "Your husband killed him!"

The flames in the fireplace turned green again and Moody and Shacklebolt arrived.

"Hello." greeted Florence. "Now, sit down, everybody."

"What's going on here?" asked Moody looking at her.

Everybody looked towards Florence.

"I called you all here, because it's time for you to know the truth. All of it." said Florence. "My name is…"

"We know who you are!" interrupted Shacklebolt. "We have already figured it out!" he shouted. "I can't believe you had the guts to come here!"

"What are you doing here?" growled Moody getting close to her. "Do you have a death wish?"

"Alastor…" Florence began in a soft voice. "You were cleverer than that in the past." she sighed. "But I've heard that any lunatic can lock you up and pretend to be you nowadays."

Moody pointed his wand to her face. Florence simply moved her hands in his direction and suddenly the crazy auror was on the floor, a Body-Bind Curse turning him immobile.

"You can consider yourself under arrest!" shouted Shacklebolt. "For conspiracy and murder! And I'll make sure that you're thoroughly interrogated so that you'll spill out all of your husband's plans!"

Florence smiled and looked at him.

"First, you have no proofs against me."

"Oh, please, you're married to him, you obviously know everything!" said Minerva.

"Go to the Ministry and look for our wedding papers, professor. Well, let me spare you the work and tell you: you'll walk away empty-handed." Florence paused looking at each one of them, noticing that Hermione's eyes were on the window, trying to glimpse at James.

She smiled softly and sighed before saying: "Dumbledore asked Severus to kill him."

"That's absurd!" exclaimed Moody, already free from her body-bind spell.

"That's a lie!" shouted Molly. "That's not possible!"

"Do you really expect us to believe that?" asked McGonagall furiously.

Florence took out her wand and flicked it, making everybody lose their voices.

"He was already dying." Florence said. "We all knew Dumbledore; he was as manipulative as one can be." she looked at McGonagall, needing her to understand. "He had been cursed, he had less than two months left to live! So he decided to use his own death to help the Order. And this is the truth." she flicked her wand and everybody could speak again, but they didn't.

"Cursed…" Harry murmured after a while. "Does that have anything to do with his burned hand?"

"Yes, Harry." confirmed Florence.

"What caused that?" asked Ron.

"A strong curse. Severus managed to contain it to Dumbledore's hand, but it was spreading anyway." she looked at each one of them. "He _was_ already dying. Please, believe me."

Hermione saw that some of them didn't want to believe in what Florence was saying, so she spoke:

"Don't you see! Dumbledore used his death to make You-Know-Who believe Snape was really a faithful Death Eater."

"How do you expect us to believe that, Hermione?" asked Molly.

"She comes in here, tell us Snape is innocent and we must simply believe her?" Shacklebolt shouted.

"No, we don't have to simply believe her." said Harry. "She has already given us proof of what side she is on."

"What are you talking about, Harry?" asked Moody.

"We came back home last week because we were kidnapped by the Snatchers." explained Ron. "They found us in the Forest of Dean and recognized us. So they took us to the Malfoy Manor. There, they put Harry and me in the dungeons but Belatrix took Hermione…HH"

"She tortured me." said Hermione, pulling her sleeve up and showing her marked arm. The scar was faint but still there.

"Sorry, dear, I tried to erase it…" said Florence.

"I know. Harry told me about our mysterious savior. And I imagined it was you." Hermione said, smiling.

"I hope you don't mind I borrowed your face for that, Tonks." Florence said.

"If you used it to rescue them, I really don't mind." Tonks said.

"She also killed Wormtail." Harry said.

Remus looked at Florence.

"Did he recognize your voice before he died?" Remus asked.

"Yes. I made sure that he knew who was killing him and exactly why he was dying." Florence said.

Remus nodded and smiled.

"We can't let my father win." Florence continued. "That's why I'm here telling you all this."

"Wait. Your father? Who's your father?" Molly asked, confused.

"Yes, Molly. My father. I'm the Dark Lord's daughter."

Everybody but McGonagall, Remus and Tonks was shocked.

"How… how is that possible?" asked Harry.

"It's a long story." said Florence.

"Did Dumbledore know?" asked Arthur.

"Of course. I told him everything about me the first night I arrived at Hogwarts' castle. He listened to me and gave me a chance. He trusted Severus the same way and gave my husband a second chance too." some made a face upon the mention of Snape's name. "Severus has worked as a spy for you for so many years. You trusted him then, why is it so hard for you to trust him now?"

"Weren't you at the castle on the day Dumbledore died, Prof. McGonagall?" asked Remus. McGonagall nodded. Then he asked: "Don't you remember what he said?"

"He said that… no one would do for him what Florence and Severus had done or were about to do." McGonagal said in a low voice and looked at Florence.

Everybody looked at her.

"That was a clue. Well… Dumbledore's way of giving a clue about something." Remus said, smiling.

"Now, I'm here to help you, to be your inside-man." Florence said.

"But you work at the Ministry, your husband is a Death Eater, how will you be part of the Order and help us?" Molly asked.

"Well, being me has its privileges. My father believes I'm his spy inside the Order. Just like Severus was."

They all remained silent for a while.

"Dumbledore always told me to trust and respect Prof. Snape." Harry murmured. "I never understood why…"

"Well, now you know." Florence smiled at the boy. "Believe me when I say that Severus didn't want to kill Dumbledore. But we knew the Headmaster was dying and he…"

"We understood, Florence." said McGonagall.

Everybody nodded in agreement. Except Kingsley Shacklebolt.

* * *

Hermione quickly left the house as soon as the meeting had ended. She went outside, all the time promising herself she only needed some air, denying that it had anything to do with James Snape. As she opened the front door she saw the twins talking on the porch. She passed by them without a word.

Nicholas looked at his brother and James smiled wickedly, going after Hermione.

"Hey, Granger!" he called her.

She turned around, trying to look annoyed with him.

"What?"

He said nothing, he just took her hand and pulled her to the side of the house. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him; she couldn't help but notice how close he was to her.

"What do you want?" she asked, trying to sound angry.

"To talk to you." James murmured. "I'm sorry if I'm annoying you but… I've never felt this way before." his hands went to her shoulders, his fingertips running down her arms, making her uncross them. "It's like I can't resist you." he said before getting closer; he looked for any signs that she might not want him, but he found none. So he kissed her, softly at first, becoming slowly more demanding; she opened her mouth and his tongue found hers. Hermione moaned softly against his lips, James pulled her body to his and his hands roamed over her body, feeling her soft curves, so different from his own body; his dick was getting harder by the second. Hermione moaned again and he took a brusque step back.

"We better stop now." murmured James, gasping for air. "Even if that's not what I really want." his dark eyes ran up and down her body. But noises from the front of the house broke the moment. Florence was by the door with Nicholas. "I think my mother's leaving, I have to go."

Hermione took a step towards him, touching him chest with her hands and her face, smelling his scent.

"When will I see you again?" she murmured.

"You just want to _see _me again?" James replied with a sexy half-smile.

"No." she said blushing, her hands still on his chest. "I want to see, touch and kiss you again." she whispered blushing redder.

"So you will." he paused and looked at her, intensely. "I want you for myself, Miss Granger." he said. "I want you to be mine."

"Yes." she said, smiling.

James kissed her once more before walking towards his mother and brother.

Hermione watched him walking away, and then she leaned against the wall, a dreamy smile on her face, her thoughts on James, his touches and kisses. She wanted to laugh.

_What would Prof. Snape do if he found out that the insufferable know-it-all is dating his son?_

She did laugh out loud then.


	70. Chapter 70

**Chapter Seventy**

**Harry &amp; Ginny**

**August 30****th****, 1997**

Florence was spending the night in the Order's Headquarters, something that she did at least once a week; whenever some potions needed to be prepared or if she had some new information to give them.

During dinner that night, Florence noticed that Ginny Weasley was acting oddly; the girl didn't eat much and her eyes were red and puffy. She also avoided Harry's eyes and the boy looked at her frequently, a worried look on his face.

* * *

It was late night, everybody was already asleep.

Florence went downstairs to the kitchen to take a glass of water before going back to bed. But when she reached the bottom of the stairs she had the impression that someone was still in the living room. She looked into the dimly lit room and recognized who it was.

"Harry?" she whispered.

"Hi, Florence." the boy replied.

She walked toward him.

"Is anything wrong?"

"No. Nothing." he murmured.

"You're as bad a liar as your dad was." she said sitting beside him on the rug. "Tell me what's eating you."

"I was just thinking… wondering what life would be like if I were normal."

"But you are normal, Harry." she said chuckling.

"You know what I mean…" he gave her a weak smile.

"Yes, I do." she sighed, giving him an understanding smile. "Harry, you have no idea how much you remind me of my husband."

"I'm nothing like Snape." he replied, making a face.

"Not physically, no. But you two think a lot alike." she looked into the unlit empty fireplace. "Severus has asked himself that same question a hundred times in all these years we've been together. What would it be like if we were a normal family? How would our lives be if he didn't have the Dark Mark, if I weren't the Dark Lord's daughter? Would our children be happier? Would they have more freedom?" she paused and looked at Harry. "The truth is, no one knows, dear. And it doesn't matter, because that's not our reality anyway." she paused. "You know, Harry, years ago… more years than I care to count… when I found out Severus had become a Death Eater, I left him. I had warned him that I wouldn't be by his side if he chose that path, but he did it anyway. So I left him. But we're bounded by the Enchantment and that thing can be a blessing and a curse at the same time… anyway, one night I was at Eileen's, Severus arrived and… well, suffice it to say that I ended up pregnant." Harry made a face and she smiled before continuing: "What I want you to understand is that when I finally told Severus the truth, that the twins were his and not Sirius', I tried to run from him again, but he made me see that it was stupid to keep on living apart from each other fearing a war that could never come." she paused. "Love is not a weakness, it's the strongest power there is, dear." she looked at him, but Harry didn't say a word, so she continued: "We married, had more children and kept on living. Now the war is on again… and Severus is out there, fighting in secret, risking his life every minute of every day just to make sure that our family and so many others stay safe. He risks his life so that we may have a chance to defeat my father and live in peace."

Harry was quiet for a while, trying to avoid the subject she was trying to talk about.

"Is it difficult to be married to him?" he asked.

"Yes, it is. He could be murdered at any moment. If my father ever found out the truth…" she shook her head, trying to stop that thought. "Anyway, this is the life he chose. The Order's victory depends on his work." Florence took a deep breath and decided to directly ask him about the subject he was trying to avoid: "What will you do about Ginny?"

"What do you mean?" he tried.

"You'll go looking for the Horcruxes again and abandon her." said Florence.

"I have to go." he replied defensively.

"She loves you, you know."

"And I love her but… I'll probably die at the end of this war anyway; she is better off with someone else."

"If you're so certain that you'll die, that's the biggest reason not to abandon her!" Harry looked at Florence, confused. "She'll bring a little light to your torment, Harry. Don't push her away. Think of it this way: if you knew she was going to die next week would you spend these last days by her side or would you just leave her alone?"

"I'd stay by her side, of course!"

"So don't deny her that."

Harry stared at his hands and they just sat in silence for a while.

"When will you leave?" Florence asked in a low voice.

"Tomorrow night, after everybody's asleep."

"Does anybody know?"

"Ron and Hermione will go with me. And I think Mione told Ginny."

Florence nodded once before getting up from the floor. She stood beside him and reached out her hand for him.

"Come with me."

Harry looked confused but took her hand and Florence helped him stand up and led him upstairs. They stopped in front of Harry's room door.

"I don't think Petunia has ever treated you like a mother would."

"N-no." he whispered.

"Tomorrow you'll leave this house and I'll probably see you again only at the end of the battle." she spoke in a very low voice. "If you allow me, I'd like to be your mother tonight. Lily was an amazing mom, she never left the side of your crib unless she was sure you were asleep. I'd like to do that tonight."

"I… no one's ever…" he didn't know what to say and Florence could see he had tears in his eyes.

"Go on, then. Lie down on the bed." she said.

Harry opened the door, took off his shoes and lay down on his small bed.

Florence conjured a chair and sat beside the bed.

"I don't know if anyone's told you but… I'm your godmother."

Harry looked at her.

"I didn't know."

"Well, now you do." she said, caressing his hair and smiling softly.

They were silent for a while. Florence caressed his hair, trying not to cry, thinking that he could have been raised by her, he could have had a good childhood, but he didn't.

"I'm scared." Harry whispered.

"I'd be surprised if you weren't, dear. But you're not alone. Lily, James and Sirius are always watching over you, you can be sure of that."

"But, what if I survive?"

"You will survive, Harry."

"Where will I go then? I have no home, no family."

"Don't you ever repeat that! Look around you, dear. You have a huge family. Remus, Tonks, the Weasleys… and my family. I wanted to have raised you. I should have. When Dumbledore said he was going to take you to the Dursleys, I was furious! Severus didn't agree with it either. I wanted to take you home and raise you by my twins. But I couldn't do that because of Lily's protection…"

"I would have been raised as Snape's child?" Harry opened his eyes, a bit shocked.

"Well, yes." Florence chuckled. "I've loved you since before you were born, Harry. I helped Lily to decorate your nursery and I organized her shower party. I helped James when he fainted the first time you cried." Florence had tears in her eyes. "Believe me. I wanted you to be with us. But it wasn't possible." she paused, trying to control herself and not cry. "So in the end you do have a family. My family is your family."

Harry nodded, trying to digest that information; he closed his eyes again and his heart was suddenly full of a strange wish: he wished he had been raised by Florence, he wished he had been raised as Snape's child.

"Sleep now." she whispered. "And remember: whatever you need, you have Severus by your side, he'll help you."

"I'll remember that."

Two minutes later he was asleep and Florence left the room.

* * *

**October 1997**

Florence arrived at Remus' house long after dinnertime. She went straight to her room. She was exhausted, all she wanted was to take a shower and pass out on the bed. She closed her bedroom door, went to the bathroom, took a quick shower, put on her most comfortable pajamas, brushed her teeth and walked back into the room. But is wasn't empty anymore.

"'Night, Ginny. You shouldn't still be awake at this hour." Florence said.

"I heard when you arrived. I need to talk to someone and I know I can trust you."

"I wondered how long it would take until you couldn't keep it a secret anymore." Florence sighed.

"You know?" Ginny asked, worried.

"Yes. But don't worry, I haven't told your mom anything." she sat beside Ginny on the bed. "I saw you vomiting the other day. And you refused a piece of the delicious banana cake your mother made yesterday."

"Don't even mention it. I think of it and I want to vomit again."

Florence chuckled.

"Do you think my mom knows?"

"No, not yet. But she will eventually. She gave birth to seven children, Ginny, she'll recognize your symptoms. You should tell her before she finds out by herself."

"No. She's worried enough as it is…"

"Ginny, I don't think you understand how serious this is. It's not just that you're carrying a new life inside you, and that is precious enough; but don't you realize that your head is priceless now? From now on, if the Death Eaters get you, they get Potter's child."

"I… I know." she murmured.

"You two should have been more careful. Why didn't you take the Contraceptive Potion I gave you?"

"I was taking it… but I stopped, two months ago."

"Why? If you had run out of it you could have just asked me for some more."

"No, I still have it. I didn't take it on purpose."

Florence stared at her, confused.

"I'm sorry, dear, what? I think I might have misunderstood you."

"I… I wanted to be sure that if Harry died while looking for the Horcruxes, I would still have a piece of him with me, forever."

"Oh. My. Merlin." Florence was shocked. "You got pregnant on purpose!? Am I right to think that Harry doesn't know?"

"Yes. I didn't tell him; and I don't want him to know. He'll worry and, maybe, hate me."

"I won't tell him, Ginny. But you must tell your mother and I'll have to tell Severus. We need to have a plan for when you start to show and in case someone captures you."

"I understand." murmured Ginny. "Prof. Snape is really by our side, isn't he?"

"Yes. Don't be ashamed for doubting his loyalty, Ginny. That means he plays his part well."

"Is it difficult to be married to him?"

"A lot. And Harry asked me that same question before leaving. It's not easy to be Mrs. Severus Snape, but I'm proud of my husband. He made wrong choices when he was young but he regretted them and now he tries his best to help us defeat the Dark Lord. " Florence yawned and looked at the window, feeling tired and sad.

"Are you all right?" Ginny asked.

"No. I'm not. It's been more than 24 hours since I last heard of Severus. I'm worried about him and about Harry too. I don't know where neither of them are."

"Do you think Harry is fine?"

"Yes. Severus would know if he had been captured or murdered." she yawned again.

"I'll let you sleep." Ginny said getting up from the bed. "I'm sorry for bothering you. Thanks for listening to me."

"No problem, dear. Tell you mom about your baby, ok? She'll be very happy about it, once she stops shouting at you."

The red-headed smiled.

"Good night, Mrs. Snape."

"'Night, dear."

And Ginny left the room.

Florence lay down on the bed and fell asleep almost immediately.


	71. Chapter 71

**Chapter Seventy-one**

**Half-truths**

**October 1997**

**Malfoy Manor**

The meeting was over, the Death Eaters were dismissed and began leaving the manor.

"Severus." Voldemort called.

"Yes, Milord?" Snape walked toward Voldemort.

"I've heard some gossips, Severus, and I want the truth. So tell me, what is your true relationship with my daughter?"

"I love her." he answered without hesitating. "We've been together since I began spying on Dumbledore and the Order."

"And does she know where your loyalty truly lies?"

"Yes, I told her. At first, she was reluctant but she understood it in the end. She knows that our convictions are the best for the wizarding world."

Voldemort nodded, looking intensely at Snape, trying to see if he was lying or not.

"And do you have any children?"

"No, Milord. I'd never soil Salazar Slytherin's lineage with my mixed blood."

"You know, Severus, if I didn't value your work so much, I wouldn't accept your union to my daughter."

"I understand."

"But I have to admit that, apart from your half-blood status, I couldn't have chosen a better husband for my daughter. Tell me, is she submissive to your wishes?"

"Yes, completely, my Lord."

"All right, then. I want you two to reveal that you are a couple. And take her to the castle to live with you."

"As you wish." Snape agreed, before bowing and leaving the manor.

* * *

**Hogwarts**

Snape had asked Florence to go to the castle to have dinner with him.

After dinning in the Great Hall, they went to his room. As soon as Snape closed the door behind them, Florence asked:

"What's wrong, Severus? I can see something is not right."

"You father asked me about our relationship."

"We knew that would happen. What did you say?"

"I told him what he had already agreed to tell him. That we are married. No kids." he sat on the couch.

"What did he say?" she stood near him, too nervous to sit down.

"He said that if he didn't value my services so much he wouldn't allow our union. But he also said that, apart from my blood status, he couldn't have chosen you a better husband."

"Ok. So it went all right."

"Yes. And you'll have to come live with me here in Hogwarts."

"I'll _have to_ _come_? Why?"

"Because I told your father that you're submissive to all my wishes and he told me to bring you to live here with me."

"I'm submissive to your wishes, eh?" she repeated smiling mischievously. She sat on his lap, straddling his legs.

"Of course. Always; whenever you want to." he joked.

She smiled, but he could see it didn't reach her beautiful green eyes. He kissed her lips softly.

"I know this is not what you wanted, Flor."

"But I have no choice." she completed. "I've never had any." she got up and walked to the bathroom.

Snape stayed on the couch a little longer, watching the weak flames in the fireplace. But knowing that staying there wouldn't take him nowhere he stood up a few minutes later and followed his wife to bed.

* * *

Florence began living with her husband in the castle. She also began to act like the perfect submissive wife in front of others. It's unnecessary to say that she wasn't happy about any of that.

* * *

**November 1997**

To have dinner in the Great Hall was akin to torture to Florence. All those students staring at her as if she were the worst evil on the face of earth was a punch straight into her heart. She felt no hunger at all. But every night she had to be there, she had to play the perfect wife, show the world that all was perfect. When in truth all she wanted was to kill the Carrows and close down Hogwarts.

* * *

It was close to 8 p.m. Soon her husband would be getting to the Headmaster's private rooms to fetch her for dinner. Florence should be dressed, looking gorgeous and waiting for him by the time he arrived; but she hadn't even put on her dress yet, her hair was still unbrushed and wet, she had a headache and a terrible nausea on top.

The room door opened and Snape walked in.

"Good evening, Flor."

"Mm." it was all she managed to say.

"Are you all right?" Snape asked walking closer to her.

"No, I'm not. I don't want to go to the Great Hall tonight. Or ever again." she closed her eyes and sat on the bed. She was trying hard not to break down in tears and tell him she was pregnant.

"I know you don't like it, pet." he sat beside her. "I hate that you have to be submissive in front of them, because that's not how you truly are." he hugged her. "I love you, Flor, and I wish I could let you stay here tonight, but the Malfoys are coming for dinner and I need you to be in the Great Hall by my side."

"One more reason for me not to go. Tell them I'm not feeling well."

"Narcissa will want to come here, you know that."

"Let her come then." Florence got up from the bed and picked up a comfortable dress in her wardrobe. "I just don't want to see Alecto throwing herself at you again today. I can't stand it! I'll end up killing her!" she finished, putting on the dress - but she moved too fast and dizziness overtook her.

"Flor!" Snape exclaimed running to get her before she hit the floor. He picked her up on his arms and took her to bed. "You are really not well." he kissed her lips softly. "You can stay here tonight, I'll explain that you're not feeling good."

"Thanks, Sev." she murmured, her eyes closed.

* * *

Less than an hour later, Florence was able to get up from the bed and order something light to eat from the kitchens. She was sitting on the couch, finishing her tea, when she heard someone knocking on the door. She slowly got up from the sofa and opened the door.

"Cissy, come in."

"Florence, dear." Narcissa hugged Florence. "Severus told us you're not feeling well. I came here to see you and I can see he said the truth. You look awful, dear."

"Yeah, I'm really not feeling well."

They sat on the couch.

"Want some tea?" Florence offered.

"Yes, please."

"How are you and Draco?"

"Draco is…" Narcissa looked down to the cup Florence had just passed her. "He is… hm."

"Is anything wrong with him, Cissy?"

"Yes. Draco is completely involved with the Death Eaters now… my son is not the same anymore. In the beginning, I thought it would be good for him, you know? Maybe he would grow up, become a man for being near Lucius' friends but… now, when I look at my son I see barely a shadow of what he once was." tears began to fall. "I know I can trust you and Severus… can I tell you a secret?"

"Of course."

"My son was in love. He was dating a girl. He didn't tell me anything but I know he was in love."

"And what happened?" Florence pretended she knew nothing about it.

"She broke up with him. And I can't say she was wrong… I read one of her letters… she asked him not to become a Death Eater. Draco didn't listen to her and now he's alone and miserable." some tears began to fall down Narcissas's face.

Florence took the cup from Narcissa's hands and put it on the table.

"Why do you say you can trust Severus and me, Cissy?" Florence needed to know.

"You two are my only hope, Florence. Severus is Draco's godfather, he promised me he would protect Draco." she paused and stared at Florence. "And I don't think you're really on the side you say you are."

"That's a very serious accusation, Narcissa."

"Stop it, Florence!" said Narcissa, tears still in her eyes. "I don't blame you for wanting a different life. When I married Lucius, I thought I'd have the perfect wedding. But I ended up signing my son's death penalty." she cried harder.

"Will you tell the Lord about your suspicions?"

"No." Narcissa wiped her tears, trying to stop them from falling. "I'd never betray the one person who promised to take care of my son. I'll never be against you and Severus, Florence."

"Has Draco decided he wants to abandon the Death Eaters?"

"Yes. But that's not possible."

"Everything is possible, Cissy." murmured Florence, trying not to show that a wave of nausea that was taking over her body.

"So you two are really fighting against the Lord?" whispered Narcissa.

Florence just shook her head.

"Ok…" Narcissa smiled, understanding that Florence wouldn't say anything. "So, how long have you two been together? For real."

"Since forever. Since the end of 1981."

"Wow! Really? And do you have children?"

"Yes. And Draco knows my daughter." Florence looked at the blond woman trying to make her understand what she wasn't saying.

"What!? Are you saying that my son was dating _your daughter_?" exclaimed Narcissa, smiling.

"Yes."

"Severus doesn't know that, I gather. My son is still alive."

"No, he doesn't know." Florence chuckled.

"What's her name?"

"Elizabeth. And she is suffering because of Draco's choices. So I know what you mean when you say that it hurts to see your son looking miserable."

"I'd like to meet her."

"Sorry. I can't allow that. She's hidden and Severus won't ever agree with you meeting her. Plus I'd have to explain to him why you want to meet Liz, and that wouldn't be good for your son." she smiled. "Are you any good in Occlumency, Cissy?"

"Yes, Bella taught me."

"And are you willing to do anything to save your son?"

"Yes. Of course!"

"I know my father's transformed your house into his Headquarters. You'll tell me everything that happens there, what they plan, who they target, everything. You'll visit me at the Ministry once a week on alternate days to tell me it all. We're friends so no one will suspect a thing."

"Yes. I'll do anything to help you as long as you guarantee that my son will be protected."

"Draco will be safe, don't worry."


	72. Chapter 72

**Chapter Seventy-two**

**More Problems**

**November 1997**

**Undersecretary's Office, Ministry of Magic**

Florence was tired. Exhausted. She stared at the many papers on her desk and couldn't find the strength to read them. She just wanted to set them on fire and be done with it! Three days already, it had been three days since she last saw her husband. She was beyond worried. All she could think of was where he could be and what could possibly have happened to him.

Someone was knocking on her door.

"Come in."

"Excuse me, Mrs. Snape." said Dolores Umbridge in her incredibly annoying voice and dressed in an obnoxiously pink dress. "Your father's asked you to sign these papers." she put one more pile of papers on Florence's desk. "He needs your authorization to take some prisoners for interrogation tonight."

Florence felt as if a block of ice had formed in her stomach. She knew exactly what _interrogation_ meant.

"I'll do that right now." Florence replied, already picking up the papers and signing everything without looking at the names, she didn't want to know who'd be tortured later. With her permission, although indirectly. "Anything else?" she asked handing over the papers to Umbridge.

"Yes. Mrs. Malfoy is here to see you."

"Ok. Send her in."

"Right away." and Umbridge left the room.

Narcissa Malfoy walked in after a few seconds.

"Muffliato." cast Florence after the door was closed.

"How are you, Flor?" Narcissa asked, sitting on the chair in front of Florence's desk.

"Tired, Cissy. Too tired. Have you heard anything?"

"No. All I could hear is that Severus is alive, but your father has no idea when your husband will be back."

"I can't stand this anymore." Florence murmured, letting her head fall in her hands. "Is my father at your house right now?"

"Yes."

Florence didn't say anything, she just got up from her chair, grabbed some Floo Powder and walked into the fireplace calling:

"Malfoy Manor!"

* * *

The only fireplace in the Malfoy Manor connected to the Floo Network was in the library. Florence walked out of the fireplace, cleaned up her clothes with a cleaning spell and went to the corridor, where she found Avery.

"Good afternoon, Avery. Where can I find my father?"

"In the living room, Mrs. Snape."

"Thank you."

Florence walked to the living room and entered it without knocking. Lucius and Draco were in there talking to Voldemort.

"Florence, my dear." greeted Voldemort.

"Hello, father. I need to talk to you. Alone."

"You two are dismissed." Voldemort said to the Malfoys.

The two blond men bowed and left the room.

Florence waited until she heard the door closing to speak:

"Where is my husband?"

"Doing some research that I asked him to do. Somewhere in Russia, I believe."

"It's been days since I last heard from him. So, you have five minutes to make my husband appear in this room." she said.

"How hostile, Mrs. Snape." said Voldemort, smiling.

"I mean it." she said. "Stop playing games with me, father."

Voldemort just stared at her for a while, analyzing her attitude. Then he raised his wand towards the ceiling.

"It's done. In a few minutes Severus will be here."

"I"ll wait." Florence replied, sitting in the armchair in front of her father's, trying to avoid looking in his direction for a new wave of nausea was beginning.

"Will you stay for the party?" Voldemort asked.

"Party?" she repeated, as if trying to remember the meaning of that word.

"Yes. The interrogation party we'll be having tonight."

"Yes, I remember it. I think I can stay a while." and the nausea increased.

Then the door was opened and Snape walked into the living room.

"You summoned me, Milord."

"No, she did." said Voldemort, pointing to Florence.

"Is anything wrong?" Snape asked, a bit nervous for seeing Florence there.

"Yes." said Florence. "I haven't heard from you for three days." then she looked at her father. "Stop playing games with me, father. I believe we've already passed all your tests. Find another Death Eater to play with."

"Of course, Florence." said Voldemort, in a very awkward trying-to-be-understanding voice.

Florence got up from the armchair and walked to the door. Snape followed her after bowing to Voldemort.

"Let's go upstairs to get ready for the party." she said as they left the living room.

* * *

Once they had reached the bedroom Snape usually stayed in when he slept in the Manor, they closed the door and Snape cast:

"Muffliato." then he looked at his wife. "Why did you agree on staying for the damn party?"

"As if I could have said no! I signed the papers, I know the prisoners are going to be brought here tonight." she sat on the bed. "Don't you ever spend three days without sending me any word again!" she closed her eyes, trying to stop the room from spinning faster.

"I'm sorry." Snape said, noticing that something wasn't right with her. "You won't like what you'll see at the party."

"I know." she tried to get up to go to the bathroom but felt dizzy and nearly fainted.

Snape grabbed her before she could have hit the floor and put her on the bed.

"Flor, what's wrong with you?" he murmured.

"I just… I haven't eaten much today." she lied.

He sat beside her and pulled her to his lap. Florence hid her face on his chest and began to cry.

"I'll always be with you." he murmured. "I'm sorry I haven't given you any news for three days, but I had orders not to."

"He did it on purpose… we need to make this stop, Sev." she whispered.

"Who will be… interrogated tonight?"

"Some women and teenagers… I didn't really see their names. But two of the women are pregnant, Sev." she cried harder.

He held her tight against his chest.

"Tiffany!" he called and the elf appeared after a moment.

"Yes, Master."

"Bring us something to eat, something healthy. Florence hasn't eaten well today." he looked at his wife and she had fallen asleep or fainted, he couldn't say. "Also, bring us clothes for a formal dinner party. Nothing fancy."

"Yes, Master! Tiffany will be back soon!" and the elf disappeared.

Snape left Florence on the bed and went to the bathroom to fill up the big bathtub.

Tiffany was back before the tub was completely filled.

"Tiffany finishes the tub, Master." she said. "Mistress looks feverish, Master."

Snape stood up quickly and ran to his wife, checking her temperature; Florence's skin was too hot. So he gave her some potion to lower the fever and took her clothes off her body. He took her in his arms and carried her to the bathtub, getting into the hot water with her.

"Severus…" Florence murmured, waking up, as the hot water engulfed her body.

"What's wrong with you, my love?" he asked, sitting behind her in the tub.

"I'm just tired." she laid her head on his chest.

"My mother told me you fainted last week."

"I've been working too much. And I haven't been eating properly." as she spoke her mind screamed at her: _Don't tell him! You can't tell him the truth! _so she kept on lying: "It's just all the things we have to see every day… it's too much. I can't not feel anything."

"Don't think about it, Flor. We'll try to leave the party tonight before the tortures begin."

She nodded.

They heard knocks on the bedroom door. Tiffany answered it. The elf spoke to someone, closed the door and walked into the bathroom.

"Mrs. Malfoy said to Tiffany to tell you that dinner will be served soon." the elf said.

"Thanks, Tif." said Florence. "You can go and get dressed, Sev. I'll follow you shortly."

He kissed her and left the bathtub. Florence waited until he was out of sight and let her hands go over her slightly round belly. Nearly five months already, but she was'nt as big as she have been, and that worried her. She had been hiding it with an illusion spell. No one but Pomfrey knew about it and no one else would know until she had everything ready...

Snape walked back into the bathroom with a small plate. Florence ate the sandwich, the pieces of fruit and drank the ginger tea Tiffany had brought them. She looked at the tea and then at the elf, thinking: _Maybe Tiffany noticed something. She knows ginger tea always helps me with my nausea waves. _The elf's eyes met hers and Tiffany nodded unperceptively.

"Feeling better?" Snape asked, breaking her eye contact with Tiffany.

"Much." Florence said with a smile. "Hand me the towel, please."

He helped her get out of the bathtub and covered her body with a soft white towel. He kissed her lips slowly, his hands bringing their bodies together. Florence quickly stopped him, she didn't want him to feel her hidden distended belly. She turned around in his arms, her back to his chest and her ass against his pants-covered dick.

Snape kissed her shoulder, going to her ear, biting her earlobe softly. Florence sighed and leaned on the sink, her hands on the cold black marble, her back arched, ass up for his pleasure, legs spread apart. He caressed her ass and thighs, making her shiver in anticipation. His right hand came down on her right ass check, spanking her lightly, living a red mark. Florence moaned and pushed her ass back, asking for more. He delivered a few more slaps to both her ass checks and before she could beg him to fuck her, the head of his dick was in her slick entrance and he teased her a bit before ramming home. She threw her head back and his name was shouted from her lips. He gripped her hips and fucked her hard and deep. She was so hot and tight around his member, her moans filling his ears and all he could think about was her delicious body and how submissive she looked at that moment. Her hips pushed back against his, matching his thrusts, driving him harder and deeper into her.

Her breath hitched and she shuddered, feeling her climax was close.

"Fuck me, Sev. More." she moaned.

Then his hands were tugging at her hair while he fucked her harder.

"Yes!" she screamed as she felt him pulling her hair.

Her orgasm ripped through her, leaving her weak. And then he was coming too, filling her with his hot seed. He rode her through their orgasms, only stopping when his dick became too sensitive. He took his dick out of her body and helped her turn around. He kissed her slowly, their tongues touching lovingly, drunkenly.

"I think we missed dinner." she murmured with a smile.

"Probably. But we still have to go down there, Flor." he said seriously.

"I know." she sighed, no longer smiling.

* * *

When they reached the dining room, the dinner was already over and the party had begun in the living room. From the corridor, screams could be heard. Florence made a face.

"We won't stay long." Snape said.

And they entered the room.

Florence avoided looking towards the improvised stage that had been put in the middle of the living room. She found Draco and walked to him. Snape walked beside her.

"Hi, Draco." she greeted him, whispering in his ear: "Is this what you want for your life?" Draco just shook his head and looked at Florence; he could see many similarities between her and the girl he loved so he quickly averted his eyes.

A high scream reverberated through the room and a big wave of nausea took over Florence's body, she closed her eyes, trying hard not to vomit.

"I never stop thinking about her." Draco whispered so that only Florence could hear. "But I had no choice…" he looked at his father.

Then Florence couldn't take it anymore, she felt the room spin and blur and knew she was about to faint. The loud screams and evil laughter were killing her. She looked at her husband and Snape saw something was wrong with her.

"We have to leave." she whispered seconds before everything turned black.

Snape held her before she could hit the floor. Draco helped him. No one else noticed but Voldemort saw that something had happened.

Snape looked at him, asking for permission to leave the party and Voldemort nodded. Snape took Florence in his arms and walked back to their room. Tiffany was still there. He laid his wife on the bed and tried to wake her up. Tiffany began taking Florence's shoes off. But the elf disappeared as soon as they heard knocks on the door. Voldemort walked in, closing the door behind him.

"Severus. What's wrong with my daughter?"

"I'm not sure, Milord. She told me she hasn't eaten properly today, so I gave her something to eat before we walked downstairs. I'll take her to Hogwarts to see Madam Pomfrey."

Voldemort stood by the bed, staring at his fainted daughter.

"Yes. Do that." he paused, still looking at her. "Is there any chance she might be pregnant, Severus?"

"I can't lie to you, Milord. Yes, it's possible. And if that's the case…" Snape began, fearing what the other man was going to say.

"If that's the case, you must hide her." interrupted Voldemort. "If anyone from the Order learns that she's pregnant they may try to use it against us. They will hunt her because her magic will be unstable. She's half-veela, as you probably know already. Pregnancy interferes with the veela magic and she becomes vulnerable." Voldemort walked to the door. "Keep me informed, Severus." and then he left.

Snape locked the door and cast a Muffliato. Tiffany appeared as soon as Voldemort left.

"Tiffany doesn't like him, Master Snape. Tiffany's sorry for disappearing but…"

"Don't worry, Tiff. I understand." he sighed. "I'll take Florence to Hogwarts. You take our things and go back home."

"Yes, Master."

Snape took Florence in his arms and by Floo went to Hogwarts.

* * *

**Hogwarts**

**Hospital Wing**

Florence woke up and opened her eyes slowly, instantly recognizing where she was. It was dark, just a weak light from one of the windows illuminated the large room. Snape was asleep on a chair by her bed, her left hand loosely held between his.

"Poppy." she whispered.

"Florence." Pomfrey came near her. "How are you, dear?"

"Fine." she quickly looked at Snape. "Did you tell him?"

"No. He begged me to tell him what was wrong with you… but I just told him that you have anemia. Because you haven't been eating properly lately."

"Good. It's better this way."

"But I didn't lie, Florence! You have to take better care of yourself! You are anemic, you know this situation is already risky, if you don't eat properly it'll be even more dangerous."

"I know!" Florence whispered, exasperated. "I know I shouldn't have gotten pregnant again! I was taking the Contraceptive Potion but I think all the stress interfered with it and… well, this happened."

Pomfrey nodded.

"What will you do?"

"I'll disappear for a while. Only you and Nicholas will know where I'll hide."

"Dear, Severus will die if you do that. Things are difficult enough already for him. Without you here, he may lose himself…"

"I have no other choice, Poppy! I can't raise my children near my father! I don't know how much longer the war will last… Harry hasn't found all the Horcruxes yet." Snape moved on the chair. "Let's stop talking about it. One more thing though, is everything all right with them?" she touched her stomach.

"Yes, dear. You three are great, apart from the anemia."

"Thanks, Poppy." and Florence fell asleep.

* * *

**Next morning**

Snape left his wife asleep under the watchful eyes of Pomfrey and went to fulfill his duties as the Headmaster.

They had lunch together in the hospital wing and by the afternoon, Florence went back to Snape's private rooms.

* * *

But in that same night, after he finished his last meeting of the day and arrived at his private quarters, Florence was nowhere to be seen, but on the bed he found a note:

_Severus,_

_I need to disappear for a while. I can't live like this anymore…_

_I know we promised to never leave each other alone, but this is much bigger than just the two of us. Trust me. I have my reasons to leave you by yourself in the castle._

_I'll be taking Liz, Chris and Sophie with me._

_Please, try to understand._

_And forgive me._

_I love you._

_Florence_


	73. Chapter 73

**Chapter Seventy-three**

**Unfortunate Events**

**December 1997**

Since Florence disappearance nearly a month ago things got worse not only for Snape but for the Order as well, for they were once more blind about the Death Eaters' next moves; Snape sent them information whenever he deemed possible but he couldn't risk his position. And, as each day went by, Snape saw the end of the war farther away; to the point where he was no longer concerned about what happened; he couldn't care less about the Dark Lord, the Order or Hogwarts. They could all kill one another for all he cared.

* * *

One more night that Snape arrived to the Headmaster's office to be greeted by Dumbledore's cheery voice:

"Good evening, Severus."

"Go to hell, Albus." he replied as usual.

"Your son is waiting for you." said Dumbledore ignoring his reply.

Snape opened the door that led to his living room and found Nicholas there, sitting on the couch.

"Are you here to give me good news?" he asked his son.

"No, I won't tell you where mom is. Stop asking." replied Nicholas. "I came here to see how you're doing."

"I'm not dead yet." said Snape as he poured himself a full glass of firewhiskey and sat on the couch.

"If you keep drinking like that..."

"Nicholas, I'm tired. I don't have any information to give the Order. And I certainly didn't call you here to lecture me. If it's not to tell me where your mother is, why are you here?"

"Mom sent me a letter." that got his father's attention. Nicholas put said letter on the table and stood up, going towards the fireplace. "She's worried about you. We all are." he murmured, reaching out to get some Floo powder.

"Nick." Snape called, making his son stop and turn around to face him. "I'm sorry. I…" murmured Snape.

"Don't worry, dad. I understand." he replied before entering the fireplace and going home.

Snape took the letter and opened it, recognizing Florence's elegant handwriting.

"_Nick,_

_We're all fine here. Chris and Liz aren't happy about having to hide in a foreign country but they'll survive. I can't say I'm happy to be here either, but it's necessary._

_Send me news of your father, please. I'm worried about him._

_Love,_

_Florence."_

_Why is it necessary for her to be hidden away__?_ Snape thought. _Unless there's something serious… or she's pregnant!_

And that thought made a huge sense in his head, _She's been nauseous and tired these last months. She even fainted!_

He couldn't help but smile openly; his heart beating faster.

_Silly woman… why didn't you tell me?_

He took his wand and sent her a Patronus with that question.

* * *

Later that same night he got her Patronus back, and the beautiful wolf answered his question in the voice of the woman he loved:

"_I'm sorry for not telling you, but I thought it would be better if you didn't know. You would worry and you can't worry about anything but the war. We're safe. Be safe yourself. I love you."_

He could feel that she wasn't telling him everything and he didn't like not knowing where she was, but he was going to be a dad again. He had to focus.

_I have a war to win._

* * *

**In front of Lupin's House**

It was really dark outside when Bellatrix Lestrange saw Harry, Ron, Hermione, Moody and Remus walking out of what looked like a vacant lot. She had been spying on them for two weeks and she was certain that there, in that empty abandoned-looking lot, was the Order's Headquarters; the house was just hidden by a spell.

She followed the five of them down the street. They walked slowly for two blocks – fully aware that they were being followed – and stopped in front of an old house. They went inside. Bellatrix followed them in. The group opened a secret passage on the wall and walked in.

Bellatrix stopped and reluctantly called Lucius and Snape, as it had been planned.

The two men soon got there, Draco with them. Bella showed them where the others had entered. Snape opened the hidden door and they walked down some long narrow stairs. As they reached the last step, they found themselves in a dark room and began looking for the five people Bellatrix had seen before. Suddenly the lights were on.

"It's a trap!" Lucius shouted.

And immediately lots of spells cut the air, within seconds a fight had begun. Lucius, Draco and Bellatrix fought against Moody and Remus.

Snape nodded unperceptively to Harry, he needed to know if the boy knew what side he was really fighting for. Harry nodded back. Snape attacked the boy and missed. Harry fought back.

* * *

Hermione looked at Snape and Harry fighting and knew they were missing on purpose; she knew that if Snape had wanted to kill Harry he could have done it with his eyes closed.

Ron joined the battle and Hermione followed her friends, attacking Snape and purposely missing too.

More Death Eaters began to arrive as well as more Order members.

Bellatrix decided it was a great idea to summon Voldemort, so she touched her wand to her Dark Mark.

"Save your energy, Harry!" Hermione shouted; she had seen Bellatrix touching her Mark. "You-Know-Who will be here soon!"

Harry obeyed and ran from the battle, hiding.

Hermione kept on fighting against Snape, trying to really hit him. Snape noticed it and attacked Ron, hitting the boy with a strong Stupefy, making him fly backwards and hit the floor unconscious.

Hermione ran towards her friend, checking if he was fine. Ron was already waking up, so she turned back to keep fighting Snape, but when she looked at her former teacher he had a worried look on his face, his eyes were focused somewhere behind her. She turned around and understood his apprehension: Voldemort had arrived. And with him many more Death Eaters and some werewolves. Snape looked at Hermione and then at the werewolves. She understood, it was a warning; they should stay away from them. She nodded.

* * *

Hermione grabbed Ron's arm and ran to where Harry was hiding.

"Who are those?" Harry asked.

"Quiet! Those are werewolves, we better stay away from them." said Hermione.

The three of them remained hidden but continued to cast spells towards the Death Eaters and the werewolves.

* * *

Moody was murdered by Bellatrix. Remus tried to hit the deranged Death Eater, but he knew he wouldn't be able to kill her by himself. He tried to call Kingsley to help him but the auror was focused on Snape.

Voldemort killed some aurors that had come to help the Order. Snape hit some aurors to avoid suspicion – and Shaklebolt was one of them.

In the end, only a few members of the Order were still standing, many were too hurt to stand up and some were dead. Snape stood beside Voldemort, both unharmed. Draco was on the floor, by Snape's feet, fainted and bleeding. Right in front of Voldemort, Lucius had Hermione immobilized in his arms, and Greyback held Tonks.

"You two will be our guests of honor in tonight's party." said Voldemort, smiling. He walked towards them, stopping right in front of Hermione, touching her face slowly and suddenly ripping her blouse apart, one hand cupping the girl's left breast.

Hermione began to cry.

"Virgin, Granger?" Voldemort said, a sadistic smile on his deformed face. "Don't worry, I won't let you die in such sad condition." he laughed. "You'll do justice to your blood status tonight and serve us. That's all mudbloods are good for."

Snape saw Remus holding Harry down, the boy wanted to jump on Voldemort. Remus' eyes met his, begging him to do something. Snape shook his head unperceptively. He couldn't ruin his cover because of two women.

Hermione screamed when her pants were ripped from her body.

And Snape knew he had to do something – he wasn't going to watch Voldemort rape the girl and do nothing!

"_Stupefy_!" – he mutely cast.

Voldemort was taken by surprise and flew backwards, hitting the far wall, landing unconscious on the dirty floor.

Then many things happened at the same time: Lucius Malfoy shouted: "Traitor!", throwing Hermione onto the floor and pointing his wand at Snape.

Harry and Ron attacked and quickly defeated Lucius Malfoy, who fled while he still had his wand in hand.

Bellatrix attacked at the same time and Snape fought her; Remus helped him defeat the crazy woman.

Tonks killed Greyback.

Snape quickly took his cape off and went towards Hermione. The girl was kneeling on the floor, crying profusely. She hugged him, sobbing against his chest when he covered her body with his black cape. He petted her hair, as he would do to his own daughter.

"You must go, now." he told her and the others, noticing that Voldemort was coming towards them.

"Th-thank you." Hermione murmured between sobs and walked away with Remus.

Snape nodded and turned around, getting ready to fight Voldemort.

"Remus, take them all away from here!" Snape said when he saw they hadn't Disapparated yet.

"No! We won't leave you here alone!" Remus replied, his wand pointing at Voldemort.

"Traitor!" Voldemort growled, furiously, his wand pointing at Snape. "What a disappointment, Severus. But I have to say that it makes sense. It makes so much sense! You've been giving them information all these years!" he shouted, suddenly speaking in his normal tone again: "But it doesn't matter. Not anymore. You're going to die. NOW!" then Voldemort began speaking Parseltongue.

"No!" Harry shouted.

"Severus!" Remus screamed at the same time. "Look behind you!"

But when Snape turned around it was too late. Nagini had attacked him, her poisoned fangs digging deep into the left side of his neck. He fell down onto the ground, his whole body convulsing.

"This is the beginning of the end!" shouted Voldemort. "You'll all be dead within a week!" and he Disapparated, taking the huge snake with him.

* * *

Tonks Disapparated to the Order's headquarters with Moody's dead body in her arms.

Harry and Ron carried a fainted Draco.

Remus carried an unconscious and bleeding Snape with Hermione's help.


	74. Chapter 74

**Chapter Seventy-four**

**Suffering**

**France**

**2 a.m.**

Florence was pacing around the living room in the house she had inherited from her mother. She hadn't been able to sleep, something was not right. Now that Snape knew about her pregnancy Florence was certain that he wouldn't do anything stupid. But a letter from Nicholas had worried her:

_Mom,_

_I hope you're all well. _

_Grandma suspects I know where you are, but I'm not telling her anything. Dad told me you already told him about your pregnancy – although I believe he doesn't know you're expecting twins or that it's a risky pregnancy. But knowing that he'll be a dad again has changed his attitude. He hasn't been drinking so much lately and is more focused on ending the war so that he can have his family back – his words._

_Voldemort is pressuring him to say where you are; things here are getting worse each day. And on the top of all that Shacklebolt is trying to prove that dad's an evil turncoat, a liar and responsible for many deaths._

_Some good news I have is that James and Hermione are dating – it's nearly unbelievable. I think Jamie loves her, for real. Dad growls a bit every time he sees them together but I think he likes Mione or, at least, he respects her._

_We miss you a lot._

_Love,_

_Nick_

Florence knew that she shouldn't be thinking about things that made her nervous, it wasn't good for the babies. So after taking a deep breath, she stopped pacing and tried to forget about the letter and the war. She made herself some tea and sat in front of the TV to try to relax. She end up falling asleep on the couch.

* * *

A few minutes before 4 a.m. Nicholas ran out of the fireplace, dirty and nervous, his eyes puffed and reddened.

Florence woke up startled and one look at the state of her son let her know something bad had happened.

"What?" she

"He found out…" Nicholas gasped. "Nagini attacked dad."

Florence stood up and hugged her son; then, with a flick of her wand, she was dressed to go out and her belly was hidden.

"Tiffany!" she called. The elf appeared. "I'll have to go back to England. Stay inside, don't let the kids leave the house."

"Yes, Mistress." said Tiffany.

Florence grabbed some Floo powder and went to Remus's house with Nicholas.

* * *

Once they arrived at their destination and walked out of the fireplace all eyes were on Florence.

Shacklebolt looked at her with hatred.

She ignored them all and ran upstairs, Nicholas took her to the bedroom where Snape was. She walked in and saw James there, sitting by the bed.

"Mom!" he exclaimed getting up quickly and hugging her; his eyes were also red for too much crying.

Florence noticed that there was a second bed in the room – Draco was on it. But her eyes were immediately drawn to the bed where her husband was lying. Snape was looking paler than usual, his shirt had been ripped apart and it was soaked with blood. Too much blood. His eyes were closed, his chest hardly moving up and down. She walked to his bed and checked the wound on his neck; she took a deep breath and looked at her sons, saying:

"Bring me three vials of Blood-Replenishing potion from the lab downstairs. And get Pomfrey here as fast as possible." she took her coat off and sat beside her husband on the bed.

"Mom, what will you do?" James asked.

"Nagini's poison can't kill me. I'll suck out the venom from the wound, otherwise it won't heal and it will kill him quicker. You must give him two vials of the Blood-Replenishing potion when I give you the signal."

"No! Mom, you can't! What about Lily and Stephen?" asked Nicholas, worried.

"I can't and won't live without your father." she murmured, tears already falling from her eyes as she slowly pushed Snape's face to the side. She leaned on and put her lips over the open wound.

"Who are Stephen and Lily?" James asked.

"Our siblings. Mom's pregnant." explained Nicholas.

James stared at the bed once more, knowing that Florence was probably hiding her swollen belly with a spell.

Nicholas ran downstairs to get the potion his mother had asked for.

James went by Floo to Hogwarts to get Pomfrey.

* * *

When Nicholas returned to the bedroom, Florence signaled him to give Snape two of the vials. She kept on sucking on the wound a bit more and then stopped, her eyes wet and her mouth smeared with blood.

"Give him the last one now." she said weakly before fainting, the illusion spell fading, making her round belly visible; her limbs began to shake slightly because of the poison that was now in her body.

Two minutes later, James ran into the bedroom with Madam Pomfrey.

"What's happening here?!" shouted the mediwitch, running to the bed.

"Nagini attacked dad." said Nicholas.

"Mom sucked the poison out…" said James.

"She sucked the poison!?" shouted Pomfrey. "But she's pregnant!" and Pomfrey passed her wand over Florence's body, checking her and the babies.

"Poppy…" Florence murmured, opening her eyes. "Severus… check him first."

"No, I'll check the babies!" said Pomfrey, her wand running over Florence's belly.

"No!" Florence shouted desperately.

"Calm down! The babies are fine, miraculously." said Pomfrey as she began checking Snape. "How long ago has he been bitten?" she ran her wand over him.

"Around twenty minutes ago." said Nicholas.

"How is he?" James asked, fearing the answer.

"Hard to tell…" Pomfrey murmured, her wand stopping. "You did well giving him the blood-replenishing potion. Now, we must give him one vial of anti-inflammatory potion and two or three vials of Tissue-Reconstruction Draught."

"What exactly is wrong with dad?" Nicholas asked.

"What isn't wrong with him, dear…" said Pomfrey. "His lungs and heart are compromised and I… I fear his nervous system may have sustained some damage."

"What are you trying to say, Poppy?" James asked.

"If he doesn't die within the next 24 hours…" Pomfrey took a deep breath. "I fear he'll never wake up again."

"NO!" both twins shouted.

"Mom'll follow him… she won't survive without dad." Nicholas murmured, crying.

James hugged his twin, crying as well.

"Is there nothing you can do, Poppy?" asked James.

"I'm sorry, dear. But he was poisoned… your mom sucked the venom out but it had already done some substantial damages to his body. We'll have to wait and hope that Severus is strong enough to survive this."

"He is. He has to be." said Nicholas firmly, before looking at his brother and saying: "We have to call grandma and our siblings, James. We must tell them…"

James nodded and both teens left the bedroom.

* * *

The kids, Anne and Eileen were given the bedroom next to the one Snape was. James checked on his mother and left the room after Pomfrey had assured him that Florence and the babies were fine. He walked around the house, looking for his girlfriend. He didn't want to be the one to tell his family that his father was dying. Nicholas didn't want to do that either. So they were waiting for Florence to wake up.

James found Hermione in a bedroom talking to Ginny. The door was open but he knocked anyway.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

"Sure, Jamie." said Hermione.

He opened the door wider and walked in.

"Ginny, could you leave us alone for a moment?" Hermione asked.

"Of course." Ginny kissed Hermione check and left the room.

"Mione…" James murmured, sitting beside her on the bed.

"Your father… how is he?" she asked.

"He's not well. Pomfrey thinks he won't make it."

"It's all because of me. If he hadn't saved me, if he had let…"

"Shh... don't blame yourself, my love. My father would never let them harm you. Nothing happened to you, you're safe."

"But your father might die and…"

James kissed her lips – which, he had already learned, was the best way to make Hermione shut up.

* * *

Ginny went looking for Harry and found him sitting by himself on the sofa in the back porch.

"Hi, Harry." she murmured.

"Hey." he replied.

"Can I sit here with you?"

"Sure." he gave her a small smile.

She sat beside him on the small sofa. He put his arm around her, pulling her closer. Ginny let her head rest on his shoulder.

"How's Hermione?" he asked.

"As it would be expected; she's crying a lot and blaming herself for Snape's current situation."

They fell silent for a moment.

"You know, Ginny…" Harry began. "When I think about what almost happened to Hermione earlier I…I realize that we may not survive this war at all. None of us. And I…" he paused, feeling nervous. "The thing is, I don't want to be alone anymore, I don't want to be away from you anymore." he looked her in the eyes. "I love you and it's killing me to ignore that feeling. Can you forgive me for having abandoned you and gone looking for the Horcruxes?"

Ginny smiled.

"I believe I don't have any other option but to forgive you, Harry. Otherwise my son will be raised without his father."

Harry began to smile when he heard she was going to forgive him but then her words sank in.

"Wait, what did you say?" he asked, confused.

"I'm pregnant Harry." she chucked. "It's a boy."

Harry stared at her, shocked.

"But…" he murmured. "Weren't you taking the Contraceptive Potion?"

"Yes, but… I stopped taking it."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't want to live without you! And if you never came back, I'd still have a small piece of you with me forever…"

"Ginny… that was really…"

"Irresponsible, I know!" she interrupted. "But I love you and… this child has been giving me a reason to keep on living without you by my side." tears began to fall down her face.

Harry smiled and kissed her lovingly.

"I love you, Ginny." he touched his forehead to hers. "I can't believe I'll be a dad!" he touched her belly. "Have you thought about names already?"

"Yes… Albus. Do you like it?"

"Yes! It's great! But Albus is too short..." he thought for a while. "Let's name him after the two biggest heroes of this war that we are about to win!"

"So optimistic all of a sudden!" Ginny smiled.

"Yes! I'll be a dad now. I can't even think about not winning this war!"

"What names are you thinking about, then?"

"Albus Severus will be his name."

"Wait, you want to name our son after Prof. Snape?" she was confused. "I thought you hated him."

"Maybe I did hate him in the past, but… Florence told me that she's my godmother and that, had I been given to her and not to the Dursleys when my parents died, I'd have been raised as her son – as Snape's son. After she told me that, I began to imagine what my life would have been like and… I wish I had been raised by them." he sighed. "Out of all the members of the Order, Snape is the one who deserves to be honored the most. Think about it, Ginny. Right now he's upstairs dying because he saved Hermione from being tortured and raped."

"I think Albus Severus is a beautiful name, Harry." she said with tears in her eyes.

* * *

**Author's note:** I think those tears in Ginny's eyes at the end of this chapter are more because of the horrid name than because of the homage itself. That name is hideous, don't you agree?


	75. Chapter 75

**Chapter Seventy-five**

**Death?**

Florence woke up the next morning feeling nauseated and with a terrible headache. She rolled over on the bed and her body touched another body. A cold one. She quickly turned her head and looked at her husband.

"Severus..." she whispered, remembering everything that had happened. She sat on the bed, looking around the room. Someone was sleeping in an armchair beside the bed. "Nick." she called.

"Mom!" Nicholas exclaimed and rose from the armchair to sit on the bed beside her. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm alive. How is your dad?" she asked fearing the answer. Nicholas looked at the window. Florence stared at her son, noticing his eyes were red and puffy. "Nicholas Peverell Snape you tell me what's going on here right now!" she ordered firmly.

"Pomfrey said it's... irreversible." he answered in a weak voice.

"What is irreversible?" Florence began to get desperate. "What's wrong with your father?"

"His lungs are compromised and Poppy also mentioned some damage on his nervous system. She couldn't be sure." Nicholas's eyes never met his mother's.

"No." Florence breathed, leaning over her husband, her hands on his cold chest. She kissed his dry lips. "We haven't gotten this far for you to die on me!" she cried, tears rolling down her face.

"Mrs. Snape." someone called.

Florence raised her head and saw Draco by the bed, his eyes as red as Nicholas's.

"Draco." she got up and hugged the boy. "How are you, dear?"

"Still in pain…" he murmured. "But Madam Pomfrey has given me something to drink and I'm feeling better now."

"Who attacked you, Draco?"

"My father. He… tortured me before we left the house."

"What? Why?"

"He was hitting my mother and I put myself between them. He hit me and cast a few Cruciatus… when Aunt Bella called him he made me go with him so I'd die in battle. There, Shaklebolt hit me with more Cruciatus and I couldn't take it anymore." he began to cry. "I don't want to go back home, please. Let me stay with you."

"Of course, Draco. You'll stay with us, dear. Don't cry." she walked Draco to the single bed that was in the room. "Now you lay down and rest, okay? You need to rest."

"But we have to save my mom. He'll end up killing her."

"We'll find a way to rescue Cissy." Florence kissed his head and covered him with the soft duvet.

They heard someone knocking on the door and Pomfrey walked in.

Florence walked towards the mediwitch.

"My dear." Pomfrey murmured hugging her. "You shouldn't be walking."

"Please, Poppy, tell me there's something we can do to save him. Please! Anything!" Florence begged.

Pomfrey led Florence back to the bed. They both sat there, near Snape.

"I'm so sorry, Flor… but there's nothing I can do."

Florence closed her eyes, her heart breaking with those words.

"Your family is in the next room." Pomfrey continued. "They don't know anything. James and Nick didn't tell them. We believe it would be easier if you told them."

"There's no way to make this easy, Poppy." Florence said before kissing her husband and leaving the room with Nicholas.

When they reached the corridor, they saw lots of people there. Florence ignored them all and entered the next room.

"Flor, dear, what's going on?" Eileen came towards her asking.

Nicholas shook his head, silently asking his grandmother to wait. He helped his mother to sit on a bed, next to James, who had little Sophie on his lap.

"Liz, close the door, please." he asked his sister.

The girl did as he asked and walked back toward their mother.

Florence looked around the room for a moment; they were all there: her godmother, her children, her daughter-in-law. Her family. A family that was just about to lose its most important member. Florence began to cry and Eileen and Elizabeth kneeled in front of her. Florence hugged them and started to sob.

"Please, tell me what's happening." Eileen said, looking up at Nicholas and James, both of them with tears rolling down their faces as well.

"He's dying." Florence murmured, wiping her face.

"What?" Eileen exclaimed. "No!"

"Dad's dying?" shouted Elizabeth, horrified.

"No!" repeated Christopher.

"I can't, godmother…" Florence murmured, looking desperately into Eileen's eyes. "I won't survive it."

"Oh, my dear." said Eileen, hugging her again.

"Florence… " murmured Pomfrey as she entered the room. "Nick called me. You have to calm down, dear. And you need to eat something."

"I'm not hungry." Florence replied.

"Think about Lily and Stephen, dear." Pomfrey said. "They need you to eat."

"Who are those?" asked Eileen, looking from Pomfrey to Florence.

"I'm pregnant, godmother. Twins. Again."

"That's why you went into hiding!" Eileen exclaimed. "How far are you, dear?"

"Six months." Florence said, removing the Illusion spell.

"Mom, please. Listen to Poppy, you need to eat." said Elizabeth, crying too, her hands on Florence's distended stomach.

"I don't want to go downstairs, Liz. Haven't you seen how many people are out there just waiting for your father to die so they can celebrate it?"

"No one is going to celebrate shit!" growled Christopher.

"We'll go downstairs with you, mom." said Elizabeth.

So Florence reluctantly nodded.

* * *

They all walked downstairs, going to the kitchen.

Molly Weasley was there looking like she had been crying. Hermione was there too. Harry walked towards Florence and hugged her.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Harry." Florence said.

"I'm sorry this is happening…" he said.

"It's not your fault, dear." she tried to comfort him.

"I don't want him to die." Harry cried. "He could have been like a father to me… I wish you had raised me and…" he hugged her once more.

"Thanks for your words, dear. I also wished we had raised you."

"I've always admired Prof. Snape." Hermione murmured. "He doesn't deserve this. He saved me…" and the sobs stopped her from talking any longer.

Molly walked towards Florence and hugged her too.

"I don't know what to say to you, Florence. I have no idea what I'd do if I lost Arthur."

"Thank you, Molly. I'd like something to eat if that's all right."

"Of course, dear. Sit down. Pomfrey told me you're pregnant, I'll give you some of the meat soup I've just made."

Florence sat on the big table, her children sat all around her, little Sophie by her side.

Molly gave each one of them a plate of soup.

They were all eating in silence when a well-known voice was heard:

"What's happening here?"

Florence raised her head quickly and looked around the kitchen.

"Did you hear it too?" she asked; everybody nodded. Then she looked up to the wall and… "Dumbledore!" she exclaimed. The old Headmaster was in one of the paintings that were in the kitchen. "What are you doing here?" Florence bellowed. "This is entirely your fault!"

"What's happened to Severus?" Dumbledore asked.

"As if you care!" Elizabeth shouted.

"I do care, my dear girl, and you all know it." replied the Headmaster.

"Dad's dying." said James. "And there's nothing we can do."

"What happened?" Dumbledore asked.

"Nagini bit him." Nicholas answered.

"So Severus's cover was blown."

"Yes." confirmed Florence. "If he doesn't die today, he won't ever wake up. Pomfrey doesn't know exactly what was damaged but she believes his nervous system was."

"He'll die anyway." Dumbledore said sighing. "Florence, I know you're desperate and tired… and I know that I am somewhat at fault here. That's why I ask you to accept a gift."

"A gift?" asked Elizabeth.

"Before I died I asked Minerva to do something for me… I told her I knew my death was close and I blamed that feeling on my blackened hand. So I asked her to collect something for me when that happened. I asked her to keep it and never mention its existence to anyone. James, go find Minerva and ask her to hand you what she's collected. Go, now!"

"How will she believe me?" asked James.

"No one else knew about it but Minerva and I." replied the Headmaster.

"Will that save dad?" asked Liz.

"I believe so, yes." said Dumbledore.

James left the kitchen.

"I sincerely hope that the Snape family still has lots of reasons to celebrate once this nightmare is over, Florence. The love between you and Severus is one of the brightest lights of hope in this war."

Florence focused on her plate again and didn't reply.

* * *

Ten minutes later James was back with Minerva McGonagall.

"Dumbledore?" she asked as she saw him in the painting.

"Hi, Minerva. I really need you to give Florence that thing I've asked you to collect for me."

McGonagall retrieve from her pocket a small wooden box and she gave it to Florence.

"In that box there's a small vial. Make your husband drink what's in that vial." said the Headmaster.

"What is it?" Florence asked.

"You'll know." Dumbledore said before leaving the painting.

* * *

Florence nearly ran upstairs with the small box in her hands, Elizabeth by her side, helping her not to fall. James had Sophie in his arms and Nicholas held Christopher's hand.

They entered Snape's room. Elizabeth froze by the door once she saw Draco in the small bed next to her father's.

"Come in, Liz. Draco is fine now." Florence said, already by her husband's side on the bed.

Elizabeth smiled a weak smile and walked to her mother's side.

"Nick, Jamie, hold your father up so I can make him drink whatever this is." Florence said, opening the box and retrieving the small vial from it. The liquid in it was transparent. Florence took the cork out and it became instantly golden and at the same time a beautiful melodious sound filled the room.

"Fawkes…" Florence murmured.

"Is that… phoenix tears?" asked James.

"Not just that." answered Florence. "These are the last tears Fawkes cried when her owner died. There are many legends about this… some people call this the Resurrection Elixir." Florence tipped Snape's face up and held his mouth open. She poured the golden liquid into his mouth, massaging his throat to ensure he would swallow all of it.

Everybody stood still, watching Snape on the bed, expecting something to happen.

Anyhting!

But after ten minutes nothing had happened.

Thirty minutes and still nothing.

One hour later and something had yet to happen.

"It didn't work." Florence murmured, lying down on the bed beside her husband. Her head on his chest, listening to his heart beating at the same rhythm as hers but so much weaker. All their children lay down with Florence. Elizabeth and James on their father's right side. Florence on the left, being hugged by Nicholas. Christopher in the middle, between his parents and little Sophie on her father's chest. And just like that they slept.

Pomfrey called Eileen and as she entered the room and saw them there on the bed she began to cry. It was so beautiful and incredibly sad at the same time. Eileen sat on the armchair beside the bed, watching over her son, goddaughter and grandchildren.

* * *

**Author's note:** Wow. This was sad. When I first published this fic, back in 2010, everybody wanted to kill me after this chapter; they said I had to save him; that somehow Severus had to live! Well, I agreed with them, but I am no miracle worker. So I give you one last crazy plan of old Headmaster Dumbledore. I really don't like Albus, but I can't say he's not useful.


	76. Chapter 76

**Chapter Seventy-six**

**Pain &amp; Relief**

Snape knew it was Remus who was carrying him. He had no idea where, though.

He felt when he was laid on a bed; he was half-conscious and he knew why.

He heard Nicholas saying Florence's name - but he was in too much pain to focus on the words being spoken. A world of pain. Probably even his soul hurt. The soft bed against his back caused him pain. Snape was used to getting repeated Cruciatus in a day, he was used to the jolts of pain and the spasms that lasted for days after a torture session. But not this. Nothing he had ever lived had prepared him for what he felt in that moment. It was like the air had become pure fire, burning his lungs with each breath he took. His head was spinning and, although he knew he was lying down on a bed, he felt like he was constantly falling. His brain was also weird, he couldn't focus or think as fast as usual and he couldn't find the strength to speak.

He stopped fighting and lost consciousness after a while.

* * *

He heard when Florence walked into the room. He could scent the perfume of her skin. He felt her hands on his body; and when she leaned over his neck, over Nagini's bite, he knew what she was doing. And, as he expected, the pain was lessening, and the weakness was taking over. He felt something cold being pushed against his lips and he drank it, before fainting again.

* * *

Snape regained consciousness.

He had no idea how long he had been out.

He couldn't open his eyes. Or move. He could hardly breathe, actually. He wasn't even sure he was awake. Or still alive.

He knew he was alone in the room. He remembered Florence's voice asking him not to die.

_So, I'm dying, then._

He couldn't say for sure.

The pain was not as strong as before, but he noticed his heart was beating differently than usual. Weaker. And he couldn't take a full breath either, it was like his lungs had gotten shorter.

_Yeah, apparently I am dying._

And he was conscious.

It looked like life would never be easy for him; not even in the moment he was about to leave it.

He had heard Pomfrey telling Nicholas and James that if he didn't die, he'd be in a coma for ever.

_Please, let it be the first option._ he asked in thought.

Not that he wanted to die. No, he didn't! He wanted to live, to enjoy his family, he wanted more children, he wanted to live after the war, to learn how boring life could be. He wanted a boring life! He wanted more time!

But he knew the venom had a degenerative effect, having he himself studied it more than once. He also knew that if he didn't die, Florence would never let him go. She would never approve to euthanize him.

Then he felt the weakness taking over him again.

_Well, apparently my wish will be granted._

He fell asleep.

* * *

All of a sudden he regained consciousness.

Eyes still closed, though.

_I thought I had died already! _

But no, not yet. Apparently, he was going to suffer a bit longer.

He assessed his situation, as always; his chest was tighter than before, each short breath a huge fight. His whole body tingled as if he was being slightly electrocuted. His heart was beating faster than the last time, and going faster by the minute. He was probably going to have a heart attack; he tried not to freak out – even if he did freak out no one would be able to do a thing about it, not even him.

He could feel he wasn't alone in the bed. He knew Florence's head was on his chest, she was lying on his left, as usual. Also, he felt small hands on his chest and a lighter weigh on his stomach. _Sophie_. He could hear snores, one from the left and another from the right. _Nick and Jamie._

Snape could feel another head on the right side of his chest, he tried to scent it and realized it was… _Elizabeth_. There was another small body between him and Florence, the head on his thigh. _Christopher. _

His family was there, by his side, embracing him and staying close him on those that could be the last minutes of his life. He wanted to cry in happiness. He wasn't alone. He would never be alone.

And his heart stopped.

He filled his mind with nothing but his family and with a deep sigh he was ready to be taken by Death.

Wait.

He tried to take a deep breath again.

He succeeded.

He could breathe! His lungs no longer burned!

His heart was beating again, normally this time.

He tried to move his hands, but it hurt. A scream died in his dry throat; his whole body hurt again, but it was different from before. He opened his eyes and looked around the room, as far as he could without moving his head. The room was dark, only the light from the window illuminated it. His mother was there too, by the bed, sitting on an armchair.

_So, I'm not dying after all._

He tried to move his right arm. He managed it! He tried to raise his hand so he could take the hair out of Florence's face. But he couldn't. It hurt and he grunted, or half-grunted, the sound rasping in his dry throat making it hurt more.

* * *

Florence felt her husband's chest move up and down fast. She refused to open her eyes. She was afraid, she didn't want to see that it had been his last attempt to breath before... but then she heard a noise. She opened her eyes and raised her head, looking at his face.

He was staring back at her.

"Severus!" Florence gasped, sitting on the bed, rubbing her eyes, trying to make sure it wasn't a dream. He kept on staring at her. "You're really awake! KIDS! Wake up!" she shouted before taking Sophie out of his chest and throwing herself on him, kissing his face, lips, everywhere she could reach. "You're warm again! Oh, my Merlin, you were so cold for so long I thought…" she was crying and laughing at the same time. "Wake up, everybody!" she shouted again.

"Mom, what?" began Elizabeth. And then she saw her father's eyes were open. "Dad!" and she also threw herself at him, hugging him and crying on his chest.

Snape grunted in pain but he had a smile on his face.

"My son!" exclaimed Eileen, going near the bed, hugging him.

James and Nicholas hugged their father and wiped away the tears.

"We'll call Pomfrey." they said together and left the room.

"I'll bring you something to eat, dad." said Elizabeth, kissing his cheek and running out of the room.

* * *

Pomfrey came and said he was going to live.

Florence couldn't stop crying. She stared at him and smiled, while the tears fell.

James and Nicholas had helped Snape to sit up, so now his back was resting against the headboard; Sophie was sleeping on his lap.

Snape held Florence's gaze, showing her he wanted her to read his mind.

_Why are you looking at me so much, Mrs. Snape__? _he thought.

Floence laughed.

"I'm just so happy that you're alive." her smile lost a bit of its brightness. "I thought I had lost you. Forever. I don't know what I would do if…"

He slowly raised his right hand, stopping her.

_You know you didn't have to leave me._he said. _We had promised each other we would never leave the other alone._

"You know I did have to leave. It was too dangerous." she raised her blouse, showing him her distended belly. Snape's eyes shone brightly once he saw it. "Six months already. Twins."

_Twins again__? _he asked, smiling.

"Yes. Only it's a boy and a girl this time. Lily-Rose and Stephen…" Florence sat beside him on the bed and Snape put both his hands on her belly. "I couldn't stay by your side, if anyone found out…" she sighed. He nodded, understanding. "I took the others with me to protect them, because I knew you would be out of your mind with me gone. I was in France. Nicholas and I wrote to each other every week."

_I know that._

The door was opened.

"So, you're not dead yet?" asked Pomfrey, jockingly, walking into the room. "How is he, Florence?"

"He is fine. He still can't speak, though, he says it hurts."

"He said it how?" asked Pomfrey, stopping near the bed.

"Our mind link." Florence said, touching her temple.

"I had forgotten about that. Good, so I'll ask you some questions, Severus, and Florence will tell me what you think, all right?" Pomfrey asked.

Snape nodded.

"Where do you still feel pain?"

_Where don't I feel pain, you stupid witch._ he thought.

"He says everywhere." Florence said, smiling when he looked at her.

"Okay. I'm certain he didn't say it like that, dear, but thank you for sparing me. Are you seeing normally?"

He nodded.

"Do you feel hunger?"

He nodded again.

Pomfrey passed her wand over his body.

"Could you give me some space, Florence? And take Sophie with you, please, so I can examine him better."

Florence took her daughter in her arms and walked to the corridor.

"I'll go get you something to eat, Severus." Florence said, leaving the room.

Once the door closed, Pomfrey continued:

"About your voice…" she passed her wand over his throat for a while and then stopped. "I'd love to say that you won't ever speak again." she joked. "But, you will. Give it time to heal; after all you had your throat nearly ripped out. As for your pain… you'll have to keep drinking the Invigoration Draught and also give your body time. But you'll be as good as new in a few days." she looked him in the eyes. "It's really good to have you back, Severus. I don't know what would be of Florence without you."

He nodded.

Florence was back after a few minutes with a tray of food in her hands.

"Flor, dear." Pomfrey said. "You'll have to massage his hands and feet to improve the blood circulation. Probably by tomorrow he'll be able to walk and move again. BUT…" she looked at him. "I don't want to see you out of this bed for, at least, two more days!"

"I'll make sure he stays there, Poppy. I'll tie him up if needed."

"And no… exercises for a week; if you know what I mean." Pomfrey said.

Snape held his wife's hand and made her look at him. He then began to tell her what he wanted her to say to Pomfrey.

"I'm not telling her that, Severus!" Florence exclaimed, laughing.

"What is it?" Pomfrey asked jokingly. "So I can't make comments on your sexual life now, can I? Oh, please, Severus." she laughed.

"We'll respect all your rules, Pomfrey. I just want him to be better." Florence said.

"He will, dear."

And Pomfrey left.

* * *

**In the next morning**

Florence had done the massages Pomfrey had ordered and Snape was able to eat by himself. Elizabeth and Christopher were having breakfast with their dad. The girl stealing pieces of cake from his plate and receiving back a look that would make Neville Longbottom run away crying. But Elizabeth only laughed. When she tried to steal his cake again he softly slapped her hand away and it was his turn to receive one of those stares. He chuckled and kissed her head. Christopher took the moment to steal a sandwich and had his hair messed up by his father.

Florence just looked at the scene, smiling, her heart so full of love and light. When she looked at the door she found Harry, Ron and Hermione standing there looking at the bed; Ron was completely shocked.

"Come in." Florence said.

"We don't want to bother…" said Hermione.

"We just want to know how he is." Harry said, looking at Snape.

"He's getting better, Harry. He can't speak yet but his voice will be back in a few days. Thank you for your concern." Florence walked towards them and hugged them.

They left and she closed the door.

* * *

"Have you seen that?" asked Ron, shocked.

"Yes. Snape is an awesome dad." Harry murmured, once more wishing he had been raised by them.

"Yes, he is. James always says that. They all love him so much."

"He deserves all the love and happiness in this world, Mione. He risked his life to save you." said Harry.

"I'll be forever grateful at him."

"What is wrong with you two?" bellowed Ron. "This is Snape we are talking about! The same dungeons bat we always hated! The same git that made our lives hell in Hogwarts!"

Harry and Hermione ignored their friend.

"You're lucky Florence is your godmother, Harry. Once this is all over you'll have an awesome home to go to."

"I know! I really like her. And the twins remember me from when I was a baby. Nicholas told me we used to play together."

"You do have a family Harry, you know that."

"Well, I also heard that you're going to be part of the Snape family soon too."

Hermione blushed.

"What?" shouted Ron. "How?"

"Hermione is going to be Mrs. James Snape."

"Stop it, Harry!" she was blushing redder. "I'm just so glad the worst didn't happen."

"His death would have destroyed Florence." Harry said.

"She would have survived." Ron said dismissively. "I can't believe you're dating a Snape!"

"Stop it, Ron! And, no, Florence wouldn't have survived his death. She could really die if he died. Because of the Enchantment. James mentioned to me that his parents are blessed by it."

"Interesting." said Ron, not really paying attention. "I'm hungry. Let's eat."

Hermione looked at Harry and they both shook their heads.

* * *

Draco Malfoy was better already. He was sharing a room with James and Nicholas since Snape had awaken. Elizabeth was avoiding him as if he had the plague. He tried to talk to her many times but she never listened.

He was in the bedroom with the twins, James was playing some muggle video-game, Nicholas was reading a book and Draco was just lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

"What is it that you have to talk to my sister, Malfoy?" asked James.

"Nothing."

"We know you're lying, Draco." Nicholas said, not taking his eyes from the book. "We've noticed that you try to get her alone and she always leaves the room as soon as you walk it."

"Apparently, she doesn't want you, man. Give it up or we'll make you stop."

"The only problem is I still love her." Draco announced sitting up on the bed.

"What do you mean you _still love her_?" asked Nicholas, looking at Draco this time.

"What are you talking about?" James had paused his game to stare at Draco.

"I… Liz and I, we…" he was scared now. He had two miniatures of his godfather looking at him, demanding an explanation. "We've been together already. We were dating. We were together for almost a year. Your mother, she helped us. She told us that we are some sort of soul mates…"

"You and Liz are blessed by the Enchantment?" asked Nicholas. Draco just nodded. Nicholas looked at his twin. "Dad will freak out when he knows it."

"He'll probably skin you alive, Malfoy. I believe I could begin the job for him." growled James. "If you hurt my sister, I'll kill you."

"So you can kill me already!" Draco shouted. "Why do you think she doesn't want to talk to me?"

James tried to reach Draco, but Nicholas put himself between them, speaking:

"Jamie, mom said they're blessed. She's never missed, man."

James took a deep breath and looked from his brother to Draco.

"You're warned, Malfoy. Hurt her and I'll kill you."

* * *

That night Snape's voice was partially back. He caressed Florence's stomach and spoke to his children for the first time. He loved to do that, to tell the unborn babies about the good things that existed in the world.

Florence loved to sleep with the soft sound of his voice.

* * *

**Two days later**

Florence had to tie her husband to bed the day before so he would respect Pomfrey's order of two days in bed. But that morning she had let him go. He walked around the room for the first time since he had been injured. He grunted a bit and felt some pain but by that afternoon he was walking normally and feeling almost no pain at all.

* * *

Florence was leaving the adjoined bathroom, a towel covering her body and another one in her hands being used to dry her long hair.

"Everybody wants to know about you, Sev." she told him.

"It's amazing." he replied sarcastically. "Last week I was the traitorous bastard, now I'm the hero." he sat on the bed.

"Stop complaining, love." she walked to him and kissed his lips softly. Snape tried to hold her and pull her towel off her body. "No!" she exclaimed. "Remember what Poppy said: no sex for a week."

"That's impossible." he said, the voice rougher than usual, his hand passing over his hardening dick. "The Enchantment understands that I'm injured and shouldn't do anything for a while, but your _veela_ magic doesn't. And it's out of your control because you're pregnant."

"I know." she sighed looking at him with need. "But as long as you don't put your hands on me, I can keep my sanity."

"What if I catch you?" he teased.

"Then I'll have to stupefy you." she said, putting a stop to his teasing attitude.

Snape crossed his arms over his chest, clearly disliking her words.

Florence laughed and walked to the drawer. She let the towel fall from her body and leaned over to get some underwear from the third drawer. He walked as quickly as he could toward her, grabbing her hips from behind.

"Sev, no!" she said.

"I caught you." he murmured, kissing her neck, grinding his covered dick into her bare ass.

His hands caressed her body. He turned her around in his arms and kissed her lips, one hand behind her neck controlling her moves.

"You're huge for six months." he murmured on her lips.

"I know. I even asked Pomfrey if it couldn't be triplets, but she said that it's only two, but they'll be bigger than Nick and Jamie."

Snape leaned in and kissed her stomach before going back to her lips, kissing her passionately. Rediscovering her taste, each moan feeding his soul again. He took her to bed.

Florence lay down in the middle of the mattress and he touched, kissed, licked, bit, every single one of her most sensible spots.

His hands torturing her thighs, his long fingers going too close to her center but never touching her there. His lips on her breasts suckling on her nipples and making her moan louder.

Florence turned around, putting herself on all fours, it would be impossible to have sex with him on top of her with the huge belly she had at that moment.

Snape opened up his pants and positioned his member at her entrance, teasing her, putting just a small amount of pressure against her entrance but not really penetrating her.

"Sev, please." she begged. "Fuck me. I miss you."

He began to enter her, slowly. Too slowly.

"More!" she shouted.

His hands clenched on her hips, his fingers holding her tights before he groaned behind her and thrust forward, putting himself balls deep inside of her. And the sound of his hips slapping against hers as he fucked her after so long was music to his ears. Her moans, the way she tipped her hips back, as if wanting him deeper. His name being cried out.

He wouldn't last long. But apparently neither would she. He slammed into her and felt her channel clamping down on his dick. She jerked in his arms, her clenching channel milking the seed from his body. And with some grunts he came, and collapsed onto the bed beside her, fighting for breath.

"Severus!" Florence shouted, still panting. "What's wrong? Please, tell me!"

"I'm tired." he panted. "I get it now… no sex for a week." he murmured, his eyes closed.

"Oh my Merlin! Tell me, what are you feeling? Any pain? Is it your heart? Your lungs? What?"

"Nothing, Flor." he said smiling softly. "I'm just tired."

Florence helped him close his pants and get comfortable in the bed.

"Go get dressed, pet. I'm okay, don't worry." he said.

"I can't not worry about you." she touched his face and kissed his lips before going to put on some long sleeved dress. She quickly returned to bed, lying down beside him. "I love you…" she had tears in her eyes and some of them rolled down her face. "I thought I had lost you… what would I do without you?"

"Don't cry anymore, Flor. I'm here." he wiped away her tears with his thumb. "You're my wife, the mother of all my beautiful children, I'll never abandon you. I'm sorry I've scared you… you'll never be alone. I love you."

He kissed her lips and she lay her head on his chest, falling asleep with his hands in her hair.

* * *

**Author's note: **what a relief, right? The rollercoaster's finally stopped.

No. Wait. No one gets down; turn the rollercoaster on again. There are still more problems to come.


	77. Chapter 77

**Chapter Seventy-seven**

**Stress**

**Three days later**

Florence woke up early, got dressed and went to the kitchen to get her husband's breakfast. Molly was already there.

"Good morning, Molly."

"Morning, Florence. How is Severus today?"

"He's getting better. He can speak already and Pomfrey said he's almost ready to leave the bedroom." Molly smiled. But Florence noticed she looked tired. "Is everything all right, Molly?"

Molly sighed and said:

"You already know about Ginny's pregnancy, don't you?" it wasn't an accusation.

"Yes. She came to talk to me a few months ago and I told her to talk to you."

"I don't understand it. Why didn't she tell me first?" Molly asked, trying not to cry.

"She was afraid of your reaction, Molly."

"She was so irresponsible, Florence. If you-know-who finds out... it'll be the end of my daughter!"

"We won't let this secret go public, Molly. I've told Severus and he has a plan already."

"I'm so scared for her, Florence."

"I understand your fear, Molly. I have kids too and I worry about them all the time. If my father finds out about them..." Florence sat down and sighed. "Actually, I fear he already knows."

"But who would tell him?"

"Shacklebolt. He's not happy that we're here, he can't see past his own prejudices. I don't trust him."

"Kingsley's a member of the Order, Florence. He'd never betray us."

"I hope you're right, Molly."

"Good morning." greeted Hermione walking into the kitchen.

Molly and Florence stopped the serious conversation and Florence began preparing her husband's tray.

"How are you feeling, Hermione?" Florence asked.

"I'm better... I still have some flashbacks but... I'm okay now." Hermione paused and then said in a low voice: "I didn't want your husband to risk his life or ruin his undercover work… I don't know what I would have done if he had died because of me!"

"No, my dear." Florence hugged her. "Severus would never allow them to take, torture or rape you. It's not your fault those men are twisted fucks."

Hermione laughed at the her muggle expression.

Suddenly they heard shouts coming from the living room:

"WHERE IS HE? We came here to get him!"

Florence looked at Molly and Hermione before going to the living room.

"YOU!" shouted Shacklebolt, pointing his wand at her. "I know Snape is still here! I know he's not dead. I also know Draco Malfoy is here and alive. We came to arrest them!"

"You also know my husband is innocent." Florence said trying to keep calm. "And Draco is a child!"

"It doesn't change the fact that they're both Death Eaters!" shouted an auror that had come with Shacklebolt.

"And Snape killed Dumbledore. Nothing you can say will change that!" said Shacklebolt.

"Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him, Kingsley." said Remus walking downstairs. "We all know that already."

"Prove it!" Shacklebolt shouted. "It's their word against the word of someone who's no longer here to testify! How convenient!" he looked at Florence. "And even if Dumbledore asked to die, what about the other deaths Snape was involved? For example, the small muggle villages that were mysteriously poisoned many years ago?"

"I won't deny that he had his share of guilt in those deaths." Florence said. "I know about them. But I bet you're probably doing this just because you don't like him!" she shouted at Shacklebolt. "Anyway, he's never asked you to like him but have you ever stopped to think for a moment how much he's suffered in the last years? He was a spy for you for fifteen years and not even once in all this time you've ever worried about his well-being." she looked at everybody now. "No! It didn't matter how many proofs he gave you. No one believed him; and when he raised his wand and killed Dumbledore you all easily believed that he was really evil!" she paused and then practically growled: "You have no right to judge my husband. You owe him your stupid lives."

"What?" Shacklebolt shouted, revolted.

"Yes! He has risked his life every day in the past fifteen years so that you could have your precious information! While you were comfortably sitting in your houses or at your offices in the Ministry, he was out there, risking his neck to tell you when the next attack was going to happen and how many Death Eaters would be involved." Florence put her hand on the wall, trying to keep standing – she was losing consciousness. "Shut your damn mouths!" she said weakly before fainting.

Harry and Hermione ran to her side and they caught Florence before she could hit the floor.

"What's going on here?" Snape shouted from the top of the stairs, his eyes on Florence fainted on the floor, and then he saw Shacklebolt and the three frightened aurors. "What have you done?" he asked while he walked downstairs, Nicholas and James by his side.

Elizabeth ran towards her mother and sent Pomfrey a Patronus.

Snape walked right towards Shacklebolt. He didn't want to hear anything, he wanted no explanations. All he saw was his pregnant wife on the floor. He just wanted to see all those aurors dead. Starting with Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Severus." Remus put himself between Snape and the aurors. "Severus, stop! No one did anything. Florence lost control and fainted. No one attacked her!"

"Who made her lost control?" Snape asked. "She's pregnant! She can't get stressed!"

"And why is that?" shouted Shacklebolt "She could lose your child then? Well, I say it's for the best!"

And the room went quiet. No one dared to say a word. Everybody looked from Shacklebolt to Snape.

Snape stared at the auror with blood in his eyes. Nicholas and James had their wands in their hands, ready to kill the stupid man. Snape tried to walk past Remus but the werewolf didn't move.

"Severus... believe me when I say that I'd love to let you kill him, but... I can't." said Remus.

"No! I don't want to hear you stupid advises now, Remus! Get out of my way!"

"I can't! Think about it! You already have enough charges on your head! You can't have any more! Don't do this! I'm asking this as your friend."

"Dad." Elizabeth called. Snape looked at her. "I wanted you to kill him but... uncle Remus is right. You can't. Mom will be all right."

Snape took a deep breath, trying to calm down; then he noticed the way Draco Malfoy had his arm around Elizabeth. He immediately walked to his daughter and pulled her to his side, away from Draco's hands. He kissed her head and said:

"You're right, Liz. James, Nicholas, bring your mother upstairs."

"I've already sent a message to Pomfrey." Elizabeth said.

And they walked upstairs, back to Snape's bedroom.

Meanwhile, Shacklebolt screamed and shouted, saying that he would fight against everybody to get to Snape. So Remus stupefied him and the other aurors with the help of Molly, Fred and George.

* * *

Nicholas and James put Florence on the bed. Snape sat beside her, taking her hair off her face and putting one of her hands between his.

"Where is the bloody Pomfrey?" he growled.

"_Bloody_ _Pomfrey _is here!" said Pomfrey walking into the room and going straight to the bed. "How is she?"

"You tell me!" shouted Snape.

"Well, look who's got his voice back!" said Pomfrey sarcastically. "What happened to her?"

"She fainted because she got nervous." James said.

"Out of my way, Severus, so I can examine her better." she pushed the man away.

Snape walked away from the bed. Elizabeth held his arm, the girl had tears in her eyes. Christopher was holding Nicholas and James's hands and Eileen had Sophie on her arms.

Pomfrey passed her wand over Florence's body, checking the babies twice. Finally she stopped and looked at Snape and the twins.

"She is expecting two babies. How could you allow her to get stressed?"

"You can't be serious!" exclaimed Snape. "I was dying four days ago! I'm supposed to be resting. And I wanted to kill Shacklebolt but Remus stopped me."

"Kingsley? What does he have to do with anything?" asked Pomfrey. "Did he caused Florence this stress?"

"Yes." answered the twins.

"How is she? And the babies?" asked Snape.

"I won't lie to you, Severus. She bled a little and... she'll need rest. A lot of rest. I'd advise you to take her out of here, away from the war. One more situation like this and I don't think the babies will make it." Pomfrey said honestly.

"No." Elizabeth and the others murmured.

"So, now," Pomfrey continued. "Florence is on bed rest until she delivers those babies."

"I have nowhere to take her, Pomfrey." Snape said, his voice low and weak. "My true loyalty was revealed and… there's nowhere safer than here for us for now."

"So let's hope the war ends as soon as possible. Florence can't be exposed to stressful situations again."

"Could mom die?" asked Christopher.

"No, Chris…" lied James.

Elizabeth saw right through her brother's lie and she began to cry.

"I'll go back to the castle now, Severus. Call me if anything changes."

Once the door closed behind Pomfrey, no one said a thing. All eyes were fixed on the bed, on the woman there, lying so pale and immobile.

* * *

**It was lunchtime**

Snape went downstairs to get some food for Florence. Pomfrey had ordered him to make her eat something light every three hours. He was in the kitchen preparing her tray when Remus walked in to talk to him.

"How is she?" he asked.

"What do you want to hear?"

"The truth."

"She's not well. She can lose the twins and…" Snape shook his head. "I don't even want to think about it. I need to protect her, I need to find somewhere safe to hide them."

"You're safe here, my friend." Remus said, one hand on Snape's shoulder.

"It's too obvious that we're here, Remus. This will be the first place they'll attack…"

"We're protected by a Fidelius charm here, Severus."

"Oh, yes, the Fidelius Charm." Snape said sarcastically. "We all know how well that works."

"We need to trust one another, Severus, otherwise we're doomed."

"Dumbledore trusted me, Remus. And I had to kill him."

"Don't judge yourself, Severus! Florence would be furious if she heard you. You, out of all the members of the Order, you're the one who did the most important job. You've helped us immensely. Let us help you now."

Snape sat down at the table, looking as defeated as he felt.

"Look where I am now, Remus. I fought against the dark forces for years. I tried to redeem my mistakes by doing other mistakes, but then in the name of the Order. I was forced to kill the man that was like a father to me, one of the greatest friends I have ever had in my life. Now, my family is in danger, my wife could lose our twins at any moment and die in the process. And I'm completely useless for the Order."

"You're wrong, Severus. Dumbledore wasn't your only friend."

"Of course. You and I have always been the best of friends." Snape replied, ironically.

"I know we weren't great friends in the past, but I helped Florence look after you sons when she didn't have anyone else besides your mother." Remus sat in front of him on the table. "I adore all your children as if they were mine. I'd give my life to protect them and Florence. If I'm not your friend then I don't know what you're looking for in a friendship."

Snape looked at Remus.

"I'm sorry, Remus, I'm just…"

"Desperate. I've noticed." Remus gave him a small smile. "Anyway. I think we are on the same boat here."

"What do you mean?"

"Dora… she's pregnant."

"Congratulations are in order, then."

"I'm so fucking worried." Remus admitted.

"I know how that feels…"

"It's not just the whole being a father thing… it's the lycanthropy. I fear that… what if I pass this curse into my son? I could never live with myself if that happened!"

"Remus, have you been taking the Wolfsbane Potion?"

"Yes. James's been preparing it for me."

"And do you have any idea the lunar cycle she got pregnant?"

"New Moon."

"That's the moment you are more human and less lupine. So I believe your fears have no reason to exist, Remus."

"Really?"

"Yes." confirmed Snape.

"Thanks for helping alleviate my suffering, Severus." Remus stretched his hand in front of him, palm up. "I offer you my friendship, it's all I have to offer and I believe we're both in need of a friend."

"I'm forced to accept it, Remus." and they shook hands.

* * *

Snape was by the door of the bedroom with the tray in his hands when he stopped to hear the conversation taking place inside. It seemed that Florence was awake and Elizabeth was in there talking to her.

"Liz, Draco had no choice… but now he's here with us…"

"I know, mom… but he could have run away, he could have come and lived with us! He didn't have to become a Death Eater! He probably doesn't love me as much as he says."

"He's suffering, my dear." Florence's voice was weak. "And I know he's been trying to talk to you. James told me. You could listen to what he has to say…"

"No, mom… I don't know if I can…"

Snape opened the door at that moment, looking at both of them. He was furious, his blood boiling in his veins; he wanted an explanation to what he had just heard! But one look at his wife – looking so pale and tired, both her hands lying on her huge belly – and he lost all the will to demand an explanation. He would talk to Elizabeth later.

* * *

Elizabeth was walking around the small but beautiful backyard of Remus's house. She knew someone was following her. She feared it was Draco.

"Liz… wait."

"James?" she turned around to look at her brother. "Did anything happened? Is mom okay?"

"Yes. She's fine. I just want to talk to you about something." he looked at her.

"You know… you look too much like dad when you're trying to talk something seriously."

"Draco told me." James said, ignoring her comment.

"Oh…" she looked down to her feet.

"It's true, then? You were really dating him?"

"Yes."

"And are you blessed by the Enchantment?"

"Yes."

"How can you be so sure of that Elizabeth?"

"You know the things we always see happening between mom and dad? The weird magic that surrounds them whenever they get all lovey-dovey with each other?" James nodded. "Well, I've felt that with Draco… his kiss is sweet and his touches set me on fire…"

"Okay! Stop right there! I don't want to hear about those things, Liz! Gosh!" James made a face.

"Have you ever felt it, James?"

He looked back at the house before answering.

"Yes, I have. I'd do anything and everything to make sure Hermione is safe and happy."

"What about that woman from the bar near our home in Hogsmeade?"

"You mean Rosmerta?" James snorted. "Nah, she is nothing. And mom would skin me alive if I ever touched her."

"True. Mom hates her guts. Do you have any idea why?"

"I have a few memories that could explain it… also some things Rosmerta has said. But… we better leave it alone." James threw his arm over his sister's shoulders and they began walking back to the house.

"Yeah. I hope Rosmerta hasn't been foolish enough to try to put herself between mom and dad. If she did that she is really stupid."

"Yeah. She must be." laughed James.


	78. Chapter 78

**Chapter Seventy-eight**

**Being a Dad**

Elizabeth had thought about her mother's words and decided to – at least – listen to what Draco had to say. So, as soon as the sun had risen, she went looking for her ex-boyfriend. She quickly found him alone sitting on a couch inside an empty room on the third floor. She walked in and closed the door.

"Can we talk?"

"Liz! Of course!" he exclaimed, jumping from the couch and looking at her. "Please, sit down."

Elizabeth sat on the couch. Draco stood in front of her.

"Liz, I..."

"Let me begin, Draco." he just nodded. She continued. "I can't deny that I'm very disappointed with you. You broke your promise."

"I know, but..."

"But... I want to give you a chance to explain everything to me." she looked at him, her heart jumping inside her chest; she stared at him trying to understand how she could love him so much. "I don't believe there could be a sensible explanation, but I'll listen to what you have to say. I also want to know what your plans are for your future. And, don't lie this time, please."

"I've never lied to you, Liz." Draco said.

"Oh, never? Really?" she said, sarcastically. "Funny, because I remember you telling me that you had no intentions of becoming a Death Eater."

"I had no choice!" he nearly shouted. "My father made me do it! He threatened to hurt my mother; he tortured her in front of me! He said that he would even let the others... _use_ her."

Elizabeth stared at him, shocked.

"Wh-what will you do, now?" she asked.

"I know my mom was spying for yours. I want help to rescue her and once she is safe, I'll kill my father. Then I'll fight beside my godfather to end this stupid war once and for all."

"But what if you die?" she blurted.

"I'll try my best to come back to you, Liz." Draco kneeled in front of her. "I know you don't want anything to do with me right now but... I'll fight for you, I'll do everything to have your love again. I want us to have a family as big and beautiful as yours. I want our kids to grow up away from all the shit I grew up around."

Elizabeth averted her eyes to look at a dirty window; she was trying not to cry.

"Believe me, Liz. Please." Draco murmured taking her hands between his. "My father tortured me and took me to a battlefield so I would die. Your father protected me during that battle, as he has done all my life. Your family is all I have now. You're all I have."

Elizabeth trembled – she could feel his despair. Then she kissed him softly.

"I hope you won't make me regret this..." she whispered.

"You won't!" he smiled and wiped away the tears that had fallen from her eyes. "Elizabeth, will you be my girlfriend again?"

"Yes. Again." she smiled back.

Draco put his hand on her face and touched her soft lips with his crackled ones once more. He put in that kiss all the love he had been trying to suffocate in the last months.

* * *

Snape was looking for his daughter.

He found Ginny Weasley and the girl told him that Elizabeth had gone to the third floor. So he went upstairs and searched every room, opening the doors and peeking inside.

It was when he opened a closed door near the end of the narrow corridor that he saw something that made him want to murder someone: Draco Malfoy was on the couch, his shirt completely open and under him was Elizabeth, her dress almost on her waist, and the blond boy's hands were...

"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?" Snape bellowed.

And Draco flew to the floor, quickly trying to close his shirt, his blue eyes huge on his face.

Elizabeth got up from the couch and fixed her dress. She looked at her father and tried to think of something to say but nothing came to her mind. She knew he was about to explode.

Snape walked toward Draco, his wand in hand pointing at the boy.

"Dad! No!" Elizabeth shouted, putting herself between her father and her boyfriend. "Stop!"

"Get out of here, Elizabeth." Snape said in a soft dangerous voice. "I'll talk to you later. Now I need to..." '_kill him'_ he thought. "... _talk_ to Mr. Malfoy here."

"No! I won't let you hurt him!" she said.

"I promise you I won't even touch him." Snape said, a small bizarre smile on his face.

"No, dad! You can't hurt him!" Elizabeth was desperate; she needed her mother there with her to help calm her father down.

"Elizabeth, you're already in home confinement for the next ten years, don't make me double it." Snape said softly. "Leave. Don't make me ask again."

She glanced at her boyfriend; Draco looked terrified.

"Dad, please…"

"If Mr. Malfoy is man enough to touch you the way he was touching before, I believe he must be man enough to have a talk with your father."

"Dad, I love Draco, please!"

"And I forbid it!" said Snape, vehemently. "He is not good enough for you! He's not safe for you!"

"You were never good or safe enough for mom but she chose you anyway!" Elizabeth shouted, tears rolling down her face.

Snape looked at her. He couldn't bear to see her crying. He lowered his wand and hugged his daughter, sighing.

"I promise you I won't hurt him." he said, at last.

Elizabeth nodded and left the room. Once she closed the door, she ran to her mother's bedroom.

* * *

Draco hadn't moved from his spot against the wall. He felt as if he had been locked in a cage with a very hungry, very furious manticore and any movement would make it attack.

Snape paced inside the room, not even looking at Draco. If he looked at him he wasn't sure what he would do. He wanted to skin him alive, rip out each one of his fingers from those filthy hands that had dared to touch his precious daughter!

"Godfather..." Draco murmured.

"Shut up!" Snape barked. "Don't make me break the promise I made to my daughter. I want to hurt you Draco." he stopped pacing and stared at the young man. "Since when?"

"Since I first saw Elizabeth in the Triwizard Tournament. After that I wrote to her and... Mrs. Snape, she helped us whenever we wanted to meet."

"Florence helped _you_?" Snape repeated, in disbelief. "And you've always known whose daughter Liz is? Did you do this to provoke me, Draco?"

"NO! No! In the beginning, I didn't know Liz was your daughter. That night you put me in detention and I saw a pen on your desk. That was when I knew. I was with her when she bought it; she'd told me it was a present for her father. So when I saw the pen I freaked out! I never meant to provoke you, godfather, I just... I fell in love with Elizabeth and...

"And why didn't you come talk to me once you discovered she was my daughter? Where does your loyalty lie, Draco?"

"I told you, I was scared! And my loyalty may have been faulty in the past but now I'm on your side; not the Order's or the Lord's, yours."

"Your family has no idea what loyalty means." Snape said looking at his godson almost in disgust. "You'll stay away from her. You won't even look at my daughter's way again."

"N-no." said Draco, his voice trembling. "I won't stay away from her. I love her!"

"I don't want you near her!" Snape bellowed.

* * *

Florence was a bit better, she was up and walking, slowly though. Elizabeth entered her mother's room and found her looking at the babies' clothing and accessories that were inside a pretty bag.

"Mom!" she exclaimed, crying.

"Liz?" Florence hugged her daughter. "What happened, love?"

"He found out, mom! You need to help Draco!"

"Who found out what, dear?"

"Dad! He caught Draco and I on a couch upstairs and..."

"Oh, no!" Florence took her wand from the bedside table. "Where are they?"

"On the third floor."

"Let's go, dear. I can't run. Let's hope your father hasn't done anything stupid already."

And they left the room.

* * *

In the third floor corridor, they could hear Snape shouting:

"I don't want you near her!"

Florence opened the door and said:

"Severus, they are blessed, like us." Florence was softly panting.

"I don't care!" Snape bellowed before stopping and looking at his wife. "What did you say?"

"You heard what I said. They are blessed by the Enchantment. Like us."

"No, no, no... they can't be! My daughter and a _Malfoy_?" he was outraged. "NO!"

"That's why I allowed it." Florence whispered, feeling her legs go weak. She leaned against the wall. "I knew they were blessed the first time I saw them together." her legs gave out and she almost fell onto the floor.

Snape ran to her side and held her.

"You shouldn't be out of bed!" he growled.

"Let them snog in peace, Sev." Florence breathed, trying to not faint. "Help me go back to bed, will you?"

Snape took her in his arms and looked at Elizabeth who had run to Draco's side.

"Is_ that_ what you want?" he asked his daughter as if Draco was a disgusting piece of old bubblegum stuck in the carpet.

"Yes, dad." she answered. "I love Draco."

Snape sighed irritably.

"I'm keeping an eye on you, Malfoy. Hurt her and I'll rip your guts out and make you watch as the Thestrals eat them."

"Sev, stop it!" Florence chuckled.

Draco just nodded.

Snape left the room with his wife in his arms. He was visibly annoyed with her.

"Come on, Sev, better out then in. Say it before it makes you sick."

"How could you hide this from me?" he nearly shouted.

"How did you want me to tell you? We already had enough problems for you to worry about your daughter's boyfriend. And I only allowed it because I felt the Enchantment acting between them."

He didn't reply.

They reached their room and he put Florence on the bed. She sat on the bed and pulled him by his shirt.

"Please, don't be mad at me." she said.

He sat beside her on the bed, one arm going behind her back.

"I'm not mad at you... it's just that I had promised myself that I would be cool and accept that Elizabeth is becoming a woman... she'll have boyfriends and..."

"You lied to yourself." Florence said.

"Yes. But why him? Draco is older than her! She's too young."

"She's fifteen, Sev. And you should be happy, after all, we know Draco and at least his mother is decent. You know that he would never betray Liz's trust."

"Nothing guarantees that. He's still a bloody Malfoy."

"But he's dead scared of you." Florence chuckled. "And he respects you."

Snape just looked at her for a while and then nodded.

"Well, you're right. It's not the end of the world that Liz is dating a Malfoy. It could be worse."

"What do you mean?"

"She could be in love with Potter."

Florence laughed.

They lay down on the bed, her head on his chest.

"It's so strange... to have nothing to do." he murmured. "No responsibilities."

"Oh, but you do have loads of responsibilities here. Seven to be more precise."

He smiled and caressed her huge belly.

"I know... but I meant the war responsibilities."

"Do you miss it?"

"Hell no!" he exclaimed. "I always had too many things to do, too much stress and pressure. I wish my life had always been like this, actually."

"Like what? Me pregnant and you fighting with the girls' boyfriends?"

"Yep."

Florence laughed and just shook her head.


	79. Chapter 79

**Chapter Seventy-nine**

**War Part I**

It was nearly noon when Snape woke up from their nap. Florence opened her eyes when he was leaving the bed.

He yawned and stretched and looked at Sophie's crib by the bed. Her empty crib. Suddenly realizing he hadn't seen his youngest daughter that morning. He sat back down on the bed.

"What's wrong, Sev? You look worried all of a sudden."

"Where is Sophie?" he asked.

"Molly was here earlier, before Elizabeth, and took Sophie for a walk. It's a beautiful day outside I thought it would be good for Sophie – she's been so grumpy this last few days. She had just gotten used to the house in France and we had to move in here. This constant moving around is not good for her. She misses home. "

"We all do." Snape murmured, his eyes still on the crib.

"Yeah." Florence agreed.

"Only, Molly couldn't have come here. She's been in the kitchen the whole morning, there will be a meeting here tonight and many people usually stay for dinner so she's been preparing everything. She's too busy to take Sophie for a walk.

"What are you talking about, Severus?" Florence sat up on the bed, looking at him, worried. "Molly was here! I talked to her! It was her voice!" Florence tried to get up from the bed. "I'll go down there to talk to her."

"No." Snape stopped her. He was chilled to the bones. There was a tiny possibility that someone disguised as Molly Weasley could enter that house, get a baby as fussy as Sophie and leave the house with her without anyone seeing it. Sophie would feel the person's bad intentions and she would make a scandal. Unless they had drugged her. He tried to stop thinking the worst. Sophie could be perfectly safe with Ginny, Anne or Elizabeth. "I'll go downstairs to talk to Molly. You can't get out of bed, remember? You've been out enough already."

Florence looked at him.

"You can't truly believe that I'll just stay here when you think Sophie is missing!"

"I don't think she's missing, Flor." he lied, using Occlumency to stop her from seeing the truth. "I'm just worried that I haven't seen her all morning."

"Really?"

"Yes." he said before kissing her lips. "I'll go downstairs to get Sophie from Molly."

* * *

"Molly." Snape greeted, entering the kitchen.

"Hi, Severus."

"Could you confirm that you were upstairs this morning and got my daughter Sophie from her crib to take her for a walk?"

"What?" Molly turned around to look at him. "No! I haven't left this kitchen since I woke up this morning!"

He kept a straight face while inside his chest his heart was beating like mad.

"Can you tell me if she's with Ginny?"

"Not possible. Ginny and the others are outside in the backyard watching my sons playing Quidditch against yours."

"Thank you." and he left the kitchen going outside.

* * *

Snape walked to the improvised Quidditch pitch and made a sign to James and Nicholas.

"Time!" shouted James going down to ground.

Nicholas touched the ground a second after his brother.

"What happened?" James asked.

"Have you seen Molly passing by here with Sophie in her arms?"

"Yes, dad. But it was over two hours ago." James said.

"Molly hasn't left the kitchen this morning." Snape murmured.

The twins understood the seriousness of his words.

"You think that someone..." Nicholas began.

"Yes." Snape interrupted. "For sure who you saw wasn't Molly Weasley."

"What will we do now?" asked James, a look of worry upon his face.

"We'll walk inside and wait. Whoever took her will probably make contact soon." Snape said. "Let's go to the Meeting Room. Act normal and don't tell anyone anything. Your mother can't know about this."

"We understand." they replied together and followed their father inside.

* * *

They entered the Meeting Room and sat around the long table.

"Who do you think has Sophie?" asked Nicholas.

"As far as I know, our protections will kill anyone who tries to enter here without being previously authorized." James said looking at his father.

"Exactly. Which means that it wasn't an outsider who kidnapped her. It was someone from the Order. Someone who doesn't trust me or who wants to blackmail me."

"Shacklebolt." the twins said together.

Snape just nodded, his thoughts focused on his daughter.

* * *

Almost one hour later a big brown owl entered the Meeting Room window and dropped a letter on the table, quickly flying out again.

Snape took it.

"This is the Aurors' Crest." he said pointing at the wax that sealed the envelope. He opened and read it: "We have you daughter. Surrender yourself or you'll never see her again. Be in front of Gringotts Bank on Diagon Alley at 6 this afternoon." Snape finished and crumpled it with his hand. "Stupid Shacklebolt!" he growled.

"He's lost his mind! Sophie is just a toddler!" said James.

"We'll kill him." Nicholas said.

"It's me who he wants. That's all he can see. He's using Sophie as a way to get to me."

"What will you do, dad?" asked James.

"I'll go to Diagon Alley and turn myself in."

"NO!" the twins shouted.

"Yes. And you two will go with me to bring your sister back here."

"Mom will never agree with this." said James.

"She won't know about it. And once you two come back you'll wait to tell her. Remember, Florence can't get nervous."

"And how do you think she'll feel once we tell her you've turned yourself in to the aurors?" James shouted.

"Are you two coming with me or not?" Snape asked.

The twins nodded reluctantly.

* * *

**5:45 p.m.**

**Diagon Alley**

They were early. But it was better that way.

The three dark-haired men were sitting on the steps in front of Gringotts, waiting for the aurors.

The sound of footsteps coming from the dark entrance of the Knockturn Alley called their attention. They stood up quickly, wands at the ready.

Shacklebolt appeared, by himself.

"Where is Sophie?" James asked.

"Ah, that beautiful baby?" the auror looked at Snape. "Are you sure she is your daughter?"

"Where is she?" Snape asked ignoring the auror's question.

"They took her." Shacklebolt replied dismissively.

"Who took her?" asked Nicholas.

"Malfoy and some other Death Eaters." the auror answered. "I was bringing her here when some Snatchers found me and Malfoy recognized your daughter. She looks just like your delicious wife." Shacklebolt provoked. "They threatened to kill me and take the girl anyway, so I gave her to them. You know, I've come to realize that if your Death Eaters friends get you it will be much worse for you. So I've decided that you can go after your daughter yourself and they'll probably kill you for me."

"You bastard!" Snape growled.

"It's a shame I can't be here any longer and enjoy a lovely evening with you three." said Shacklebolt sarcastically. "Hope you have a painful death." and he Disapparated.


	80. Chapter 80

**Chapter Eighty**

**War - Part II**

**At the Malfoy Manor**

A very tired Narcissa Malfoy was walking around her big house, checking the elves' work and the food that was being prepared for that night's meeting. Suddenly she heard footsteps and shouts coming from the entrance hall. Nothing unusual. But the sound of a child's cry made her run there.

"Lucius! What's... ?"

"This is Snape's youngest brat." Lucius said, extremely annoyed by the child. "Take her upstairs and make her shut up!" he shouted giving the screaming toddler to his wife.

Narcissa took the girl and Sophie immediately stopped crying, noticing that Narcissa had no ill intentions towards her.

"What will you do to her? She's just a baby…" Narcissa murmured.

"Snape will come for her and then we'll kill him." said Lucius Malfoy. "The little brat will probably become Nagini's snack."

"No." said Voldemort, walking towards Narcissa and Sophie. "This girl is my granddaughter; Slytherin's heir." he touched Sophie's face and the girl didn't cry, she just stared at him, not really knowing who he was. "Does anyone know what her name is?"

"It-it's Sophie, My Lord." Narcissa said.

Voldemort hesitated and then gave a lopsided smile.

"Florence named her daughter after her mother. Interesting." he took his hand out of the toddler's face. "Narcissa, take Sophie upstairs. It's your job to look after her from now on."

She nodded and walked upstairs.

* * *

Narcissa entered her son's bedroom and put Sophie on the bed.

"Oh, my Merlin. Your mom must be desperate." she whispered, cleaning the girl's tear stricken face. "You look so much like her."

"Who are you?" Sophie asked, not fully trusting the woman.

Narcissa laughed.

"You may look just like your mother but that expression is all your father's. I'm Narcissa. I'm a friend of your mother's."

"I want my mommy." Sophie murmured, rubbing her eyes.

"I know, honey. Look, I'll find a way to return you to your mom... I just have to figure out how."

* * *

**Order's Headquarters**

**7 p.m.**

Draco, Elizabeth, Christopher and Ginny were playing video games in the twins' bedroom when Florence opened the door.

"Liz, have you seen you dad?"

"No, mom. But a couple of hours ago he left with Nick and Jamie."

"They left the house?" Florence asked. "Where did they go?"

"They didn't tell us. But dad looked worried." Christopher said.

"Ok. I'll go downstairs to talk to Molly."

"I'll go with you." offered Draco.

"Thanks, dear."

* * *

"Molly." Florence called as she entered the kitchen.

"Hi, dear. How are you feeling?"

"A bit better, thanks for asking. Do you know where Severus and my twins went earlier?"

"No, dear. But they left after Severus received a letter from the Aurors' Department."

"The Aurors' Department?" Florence repeated confused.

"Yes, I recognized the owl that usually delivers the aurors' letters."

"Ok. Thank you, Molly."

And Florence walked upstairs, Draco right behind her. Near the top of the stairs she almost fell down, but the blond boy helped her to keep walking

"You really shouldn't be out of bed." he murmured. "Godfather will be furious..."

"Just help me get back to my room, Draco." she said.

And he helped her.

* * *

**At the Malfoy Manor**

Narcissa was trying to put Sophie to sleep. The little girl was upset for not being near her mother and father. But after a long time she fell asleep.

Someone knocked on the door.

"Come in." Narcissa whispered.

Lucius walked in.

"The Lord wants to know how the girl is."

"She's fine. She just fell asleep and looks like it's only a light nap. But she ate a bit and talked to me."

"She talked to you? How old is she? How can she speak?"

"She can speak and is very intelligent for her age." said Narcissa. "She knows where she is and even why you kidnapped her."

"Well, if she's fine that's all. I'll be going now."

"Lucius… can I write to Draco?"

"No."

"Please, Lucius! I need to know how he is!"

"Fine! Write to the bastard! I hope he's dead."

Lucius left the room.

* * *

**At the Order's Headquarters**

As soon as Draco had helped Florence to reach the bed a big owl entered through the window, flying around Draco, looking extremely happy for seeing him.

"Merle!" Draco exclaimed.

"Do you know this owl?"

"Yes! It's my mother's!" he removed the letter from the owl's leg and petted her, offering her some water from a glass that was by the bed. After drinking it, the owl flew away. When Draco opened the letter some other small piece of paper fell from it. "This has your name on it." he said, handing Florence the small piece.

Florence took it and opened, her heart stopping while she read:

_Florence,_

_I can only imagine how worried you must be. I write to you to say that your daughter, Sophie, is here with me. Your father's ordered me to look after her and she won't be harmed - apparently he has the intention of raising her as his own._

_Sophie is fine, she cried a lot and fell asleep after eating a bit. She calls for you and Severus even in her sleep, it's heartbreaking really._

_I've heard them saying that they'll use her to make Severus turn himself in but they have no intention of returning her to you._

_You must come and rescue her as soon as possible!_

_I hope you're well._

_Narcissa_

"Oh, no!" Florence exclaimed. "Draco, I need to go back downstairs, I must talk to someone about this! Your mother said they have Sophie, the Death Eaters've got my daughter!"

And Draco helped Florence get downstairs once more.

* * *

Florence found Molly in the kitchen as always.

"Molly! Has anyone arrived for the meeting yet?"

"Yes, dear. Remus and Tonks are in the living room."

Florence nearly ran to the living room.

"Remus!" she shouted, throwing herself on his arms when she saw her friend. "They've got Sophie."

"What? Who?"

"The Death Eaters! Look, read this!" she put Narcissa's letter on his hands and felt the dizziness taking over.

"Flor, sit here." Remus helped her get to the sofa. "Who took Sophie?"

"All I know is… Shacklebolt kidnapped her from her crib and… now… she's at the Malfoy Manor… Narcissa is looking after her." Florence was panting, trying to fight against the dizziness. "Severus... you need to call him back he..."

"Who let her get downstairs?" shouted Snape walking into the living room.

Florence looked at him with relief in her eyes. Snape took her in his arms and looked at the twins.

"You two tell everybody what's going on. I'll get her upstairs and I'll be back soon." and he walked upstairs.

"Sophie." Florence murmured. "A letter... I gave it to Remus. Cissy wrote me. They won't kill her they'll use her to get you but... they won't give her back. My father wants her..."

"I had already imagined that." he murmured, entering the room and putting Florence on the bed. "You can't get nervous like this. You have to think of Lily and Stephen now! They are your priority! Let me handle the other problems!"

"You know me, you know I won't do that! I won't be here lying down on this bed while my daughter is under the same roof as my father!" Florence nearly shouted.

"You have to!"

"I can't!"

Snape took the glass of water from the bedside table and gave it to her.

"Drink this."

"You may think I'm stupid." she snorted. "I'm not drinking anything you give me; it'll probably be full of Sleeping Draught."

"It's only a Calming Draught. You need it."

Florence looked at him for a while, trying to see if he was lying or not. She decided to drink it.

Before the glass had left her lips she was fast asleep.

Snape quickly took the glass from her hands and laid her down comfortably on the bed.

"I'm sorry." he murmured, kissing her forehead before leaving the room.

When Snape walked into the Meeting Room, everybody had already arrived.

"We can start the meeting." Snape said.

"But Kingsley is not here yet!" said McGonagall.

"You havent' told them anything?" he asked his sons.

"No. We waited until they all had gotten here..." began James.

"And now you're here." finished Nicholas.

"Shacklebolt is not here nor will he come." Snape said, looking at the others. "My youngest daughter was kidnapped this morning and the kidnapper was Kingsley Shacklebolt."

Even Alastor Moody was a bit shocked. Many were outraged.

"But she's just a toddler!" exclaimed McGonagall.

"He entered this house early this morning transformed as Molly Weasley and took Sophie from her crib. He had set a time and place for me to turn myself in to the aurors and then they would give her back. But halfway to our meeting point the Death Eaters found him and got Sophie. Now apparently my daughter is at the Malfoy Manor with Narcissa Malfoy."

"Yes." confirmed Remus putting the letter Florence had given in on the table. "Narcissa wrote this and she says Sophie is out of danger, but they have no intention of returning her to her mother."

"What will we do now?" asked Hermione.

"Now." Snape sighed. "I'll go there and surrender."

"No!" shouted James, Nicholas, Harry and McGonagall.

"You can't do that, Severus!" said McGonagall.

"You can't do that and leave Florence! She's pregnant! And she risks losing her life the moment she births those babies!" bellowed Remus. "Think about your family!"

James and Nicholas looked at him, shocked, they hadn't known for sure that their mother could die.

"Dad, is that true?" asked James.

Snape made a face, clearly not wanting to let them know that.

"Yes." he finally answered. "She may not survive giving birth to the twins."

James just stared at his father, not really knowing what to make of that information. No one in the room said a word.

"Pomfrey had warned her." Nicholas murmured. "Poppy said she shouldn't get pregnant so soon and in such turbulent times, but..."

"We didn't plan it." Snape interrupted. "We believe the Contraceptive Potion didn't work properly because of all the stress and... well, she got pregnant."

"One more reason for you not to surrender!" said McGonagall.

"Easy for you to say!" shouted Snape. "What should I do then? Leave my daughter there while we all plan and plan and never get anywhere?"

"Narcissa Malfoy is looking after her. We could maybe plan something with her." said Harry. "She could take Sophie for a walk and then we would take them both."

Snape rolled up his eyes, as did many others in the room.

"Do you really think they would allow someone as imbecile as Narcissa to go for a walk with a prize as valuable as my daughter in her hands?" asked Snape in a soft dangerous voice.

Harry didn't reply.

"We could just simulate your surrender, Severus." said Remus.

"I don't know. I fear this could put Sophie's life in danger."

"We'll think of everything and James and Nicholas will be in charge of rescuing her." said McGonagall.

Snape thought for a few moments.

"Okay. I can agree with that."

"Dad, you can't do that!" Nicholas exclaimed.

"You've hear Remus, Nicholas, it'll be a simulation."

"No! It'll be a simulation until the moment you believe Sophie is in danger! Then you'll really turn yourself in to save her!"

Everybody looked at Snape.

"Will you stick to the plan, Severus?" asked Remus.

Snape didn't answer.

"Severus?" insisted McGonagall.

"Fine!" Snape shouted. "I'll follow your stupid plan!"

* * *

**2 a.m.**

The plan was ready to be executed. They would do it the next night.

Snape walked back to the bedroom. Florence was still fast asleep.

He kissed her forehead and murmured once more:

"I'm sorry."

He looked at Sophie's crib, her empty crib, and his heart clenched. He sighed and went to the bathroom.

After showering, he lay down beside Florence on the bed, his arms holding her from behind, his hand on her stomach. He tried to sleep but only achieved short naps.

* * *

**In the next morning**

Florence woke up feeling her head heavy and as if her mouth was full of cotton. She sat up on the bed slowly, remembering the previous night.

Snape was already up, putting on a shirt by the foot of the bed.

"Good morning, Flor." he said. She didn't answer - as he had already expected. "I know you're probably furious with me…"

"You… drugged me last night!" she accused angrily.

"Nothing that would hurt the babies. I only gave you a small dose of Sleeping Draught I brewed myself." he sat near her on the bed. "Try to understand my reasons! You can't have any kind of stress; I had to do something to keep you in this bedroom."

"Our baby daughter was kidnapped, she's at the Malfoy Manor and you want me to be here? How can you possibly..."

"You are pregnant!" he exclaimed. "Pomfrey's told me that it's a risky pregnancy. I know you may not survive the birth."

Florence didn't reply.

"I don't want to… I can't lose you." he murmured.

"And I can't lose you." she said. "What was decided yesterday?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why? Because I won't agree with it, right?"

"Yes."

"What will you do, Sev? Will you turn yourself in? You know they won't give Sophie back even if they kill you!"

"Don't worry, it'll just be a simulation."

"Promise me." she took his hands and out over her belly. "Promise us that you will return with Sophie."

"I promise." he said. "Although you're playing really dirty putting Lily and Stephen in the middle of this."

"I love you, Sev. Don't you ever forget that. And you've promised."

"I won't forget it." he kissed her lips softly, before going to the door. "I'll bring you breakfast." and he left.

* * *

In the backyard, James and Hermione were walking in the soft sunlight.

"Do you think tonight's plan will work out?" she asked.

"It must. I'll make sure my father doesn't make any stupidity."

"Do you think he'd be able to turn himself in?"

"For Sophie's life? I'm certain of it."

"But your mother, she…"

"I know that, and he knows that, but my father is a weird kind of hero, Hermione." James chuckled. "He sacrifices himself, literally, for those he loves. I admire him immensely for his strength."

"Your father really is an amazing man. Have you heard? Ginny and Harry will name their son after him."

"What?" exclaimed James.

"Yes. Their son will be named Albus Severus."

"Wow. Dad will birth purple kittens when he hears it."

"Why?"

"Potter's son will have his name, that's why!" James laughed. "He'll be really furious. Albus Severus… poor boy, that's a mouthful and…" he laughed harder. "What a horrible name!"

Hermione tried to keep a serious face but she failed and laughed alongside him.


	81. Chapter 81

**Chapter Eighty-one**

**War - Part III**

**In that same night**

Remus, Snape, Arthur, James and Nicholas stopped by the kitchen on their way out.

"We're leaving." said Arthur.

"There will be an attack to a muggle village not far from here. We're going there." explained Remus.

Molly, Florence, Anne, Hermione, Tonks and Elizabeth were there in the kitchen. Florence was sitting on a comfortable chair.

James and Nicholas walked to their mother and kissed her before going to their girlfriends.

Snape walked to Florence, too, and kneeled down in front of her, kissing her swollen belly and then her lips.

"You've promised." she whispered.

He just nodded and got up, hugging his daughter next.

Arthur was hugging Molly and Remus had his hands on Tonks' stomach.

Snape looked at them and the five men left the kitchen.

* * *

When they reached the village, the Death Eaters had already begun the attack. They quickly found Lucius Malfoy and Snape showed himself to him.

"YOU!" Lucius shouted. "You're really alive! The stupid auror was speaking the truth then. The Lord will be most displeased."

"I'm here to surrender myself in exchange of my daughter." said Snape.

"Are you alone?"

"No. James is with me."

James walked out of his hiding place by his father's right.

"Oh, the one that looks just like you. At least this one you can be sure it is yours." provoked Lucius.

"Give my daughter back." Snape said, ignoring the man's comment.

"Not possible. She's at the Malfoy Manor. If you want her, you'll have to go and get her yourself." Lucius answered, a content smile on his face.

"All right. We'll meet you at the property gates."

Lucius nodded and Disapparated.

Snape and his son went back to where the others were hiding.

"Hold my arm." Snape ordered.

And they all Disapparated as well.

* * *

Once in front of the gates, Snape touched the iron bars and soon a small elf appeared.

"Lucius Malfoy is waiting for us." Snape said.

The elf nodded and opened the gates.

They followed Snape through the beautiful dark garden. But before they could have reached the huge house, Lucius and other Death Eaters showed up, blocking their path.

"So you lied." said Lucius. "You should have come with just your son."

"Where is my daughter?" Snape asked.

"That beautiful toddler is being well taken care of by my wife. The Lord has plans for your daughter, you know? As do many of us." Lucius smiled maliciously and some Death Eaters laughed. "Once she's grown up, of course. There's no doubt she'll be as gorgeous and delicious as your wife... Sophie will be greatly appreciated by us."

James and Nicholas attacked Lucius and the first battle of that night began.

Once Arthur, Remus and Snape had the Death Eaters under control, the twins ran to the house, they had to find Sophie as quickly as possible.

More Death Eaters appeared and it took them about five minutes to defeat them all and follow the twins.

* * *

When they entered the house, Nicholas and James saw Narcissa coming down the stairs with Sophie in her arms.

"Nickie! Jamie!" Sophie shouted.

James took his sister from Narcissa's arms.

"Where's daddy?" Sophie asked, crying on James neck.

"I'm here, my dear." Snape said, running inside the house towards her; Remus and Arthur right behind him. He took his daughter in his arms, hugging her tight, relieved on seeing her safe.

"She is unharmed, Severus." Narcissa said.

"Thank you, Narcissa." he said. "Is the Apparition point in the backyard still working?"

"Yes. After the water fountain, turn right. The same place."

"Sophie" he said to his daughter. "I need you to hold as tight as you can onto my shirt and not let go until we are out of here. Can you do that, princess?" Sophie nodded and he kissed her forehead before saying: "So let's go. And, Narcissa, you're coming with us."

The woman nearly cried in happiness.

Snape led the others towards the back door. But before they could leave the house, a door on their left was opened and a woman spoke, her voice making everybody's blood feel like ice in their veins.

"But what's happening here?" asked a curious Bellatrix Lestrange. "Cissy, what's going on?"

For what seemed a whole minute no one breathed, everybody looked at the crazy woman in front of them - they all knew how insane she was.

"Second part of the plan, now!" Snape bellowed, leaving through the back door with Sophie at the same time the other men attacked Bellatrix.

But on their way to the Apparition point, more Death Eaters appeared, casting spells on their direction. The twins helped to defend their father and sister, while Narcissa and Arthur helped Remus. They easily defeated the Death Eaters.

"Snape!" shouted Lucius, coming from the front yard. "Running away like the big coward you are!"

They all stopped, the twins looked at their father, fearing that he would lose his temper for being called a coward. But Snape kept his cool.

"And you, you bitch!" Lucius shouted at Narcissa. "Blood traitor! Just like your disgusting son! When I put my hands on him, I'll make him watch while a kill you painfully and then I'll kill him!"

"Shut up!" Narcissa bellowed, her wand pointing to Lucius' face. "_Crucio_!" she cast, and the man went to the ground, his body violently shaking and letting out loud screams of pain.

"Narcissa!" Snape shouted. "Stop it. I don't want my daughter hearing this."

The woman stopped her curse and said to the man on the ground:

"I won't let you put your eyes on my son ever again, much less your hands! You're not even half of the man my son is!" then she spit on him and turned around.

They all looked at her a bit shocked by her attitude and then they resumed running, soon finding the Apparition point and Disapparating.

* * *

As they walked inside Remus's house, everybody shouted in happiness upon seeing them all back in one piece.

Snape walked upstairs, straight into the bedroom Florence was. He slowly entered it and saw his wife sleeping on the bed. He put Sophie by her side and the girl hugged her mother, crying:

"Mommy."

Florence woke up and looked at her, not really believing her eyes.

"Sophie? Oh, my baby!" she held her daughter tight against her chest, as much as her swollen belly allowed and kissed her head, hands and face. "How are you, baby? Are you hurt? Hungry?"

"I'm fine, mommy." the girl murmured. "Aunt Cissy took care of me."

"Narcissa came with us." Snape said, sitting on the bed and taking his shoes off.

Florence looked at him for the first time since he had arrived, she stared at him with love shinning in her eyes.

"Thank you for coming back to me." she murmured.

"I had promised." it was all he said, taking his shirt off.

"Where is Narcissa?"

"She probably went to see her son." he replied, saying the words _her son_ as if he had just bitten a lemon. The subject Draco Malfoy was still a sore spot for him.

"That's good." Florence said, ignoring her husband's demeanor. "He had been worried about her."

"Oh, yes, he's been really worried about his mother." Snape replied, sarcastically. "Snogging my daughter all the time, spending hours with her locked in the bedroom. I saw how worried he was."

"Oh, please, Severus!" Florence laughed, her eyes never leaving her beautiful daughter that was back in her arms, safe and sound; Sophie was nearly asleep on her mother's arms, she had cried a lot in the last hours, the poor little girl was exhausted.

"Why do they have to... _touch_ all the time?" he said resentfully.

"I have a few words for you." Florence whispered, not wanting to wake her daughter up. "You, me and the Astronomy Tower. Does it ring a bell?"

"It's not the same thing, Flor." he said, throwing his pants on the floor rather aggressively.

"More words, then: you, me and late nights at your mother's house." Florence whispered laughingly.

Snape didn't reply, he just walked into the bathroom.

Florence simply shook her head. It didn't matter that her husband was upset about Draco Malfoy dating Elizabeth. Nothing else mattered but Sophie; she was back in Florence's arms, clean, fed and unharmed. All was well, at least for the moment.


	82. Chapter 82

**Chapter Eighty-Two**

**Expected Problem**

**January 1998**

Albeit the Order's efforts, as each day went by the attacks on muggles were more violent and frequent. Now that they didn't have anyone at the Ministry or infiltrated on the Death Eaters anymore, things had become even more difficult.

On top of that, the Order had its inner conflicts. After Shacklebolt's betrayal, new members were only accepted after many interviews and extreme testings. Snape and Remus were in charge of that selection. And very few passed their tests.

* * *

Ginny and Tonks were forbidden of taking part in any battle or meetings. Tonks was 8 weeks pregnant and Ginny 16. Florence was in bed rest until the end of her pregnancy. The risks had increased and Snape never allowed her out of bed. She was too weak to protest.

* * *

But it was in one cold night that everything changed for the worst.

Florence had had soft contractions and bled a bit. Pomfrey was called. After she had examined Florence and given her something to sleep, she looked at Snape, worry in her eyes.

"Severus…"

"Tell me the truth." he interrupted, sitting on the foot of the bed, his head on his hands.

Only the three of them were in the room, besides Sophie that was asleep in her crib, Snape hadn't called any of his children, not even the twins.

"You already know that this pregnancy is taking its toll on Florence." Pomfrey said softly.

"Yes, I already know that!" he looked at Pomfrey.

"Have faith that she can endure two more months like this, Severus… because I can't assure you that."

"Is it too serious?"

"Yes. She's too weak and…" Pomfrey sighed. "I'll be honest with you. It's very likely that Florence will not survive giving birth to these children."

Snape ran his hands through his hair, something he never did unless he was desperate.

"And there's nothing you can do about that?" he asked.

"No. I'm sorry." Pomfrey put her hand on his shoulder and softly squeezed before leaving the room.

* * *

**February 1998**

Florence was getting worse as each day went by.

She didn't walk around the room anymore and she didn't need the Sleeping Draught to keep her on the bed. She didn't have enough strength to stand up or argue.

* * *

It was another cold night, Eileen was in the bedroom with Florence, helping her eat. After Florence finished her dinner, Eileen took the dishes to the kitchen.

Florence was almost falling asleep when she had a strong contraction and before she could've called her godmother, she felt her legs getting wet.

"No." she murmured. "Eileen!" she shouted, or tried to shout. "Godmother!" she felt more contractions. "Someone! Please… oow." tears quickly started rolling down her face.

Eileen opened the door.

"What's happening?"

"They're coming…" Florence cried. "I'll have the babies, now!" she waited another contraction to stop and then she spoke: "Call Poppy… and Severus!" she was sobbing now. "I don't want to lose my babies, godmother. Take Sophie with you!"

"You won't lose them, dear." Eileen looked at her, worried, and then picked up a half-awake Sophie in her arms. "I'll be back soon." and she left Florence alone.

Less than a minute after Eileen had left, Snape walked into the room, looking paler than usual. He ran to her side, kneeling beside the bed, holding her left hand in his.

"Pomfrey will be here soon, love. Everything will be all right." he murmured, not really believing his own words.

Florence shouted in pain.

"The contractions are too close and too strong, Sev." she sobbed. "They won't wait for her! I don't want them to die! Don't let them die…" she begged.

"Don't think about it, Flor. They won't die. No one will die today." he said, tears rolling down his face; he was trying hard to believe what he was saying.

And Pomfrey entered the room, Eileen right behind her, carrying towels and a kettle filled with water.

"Oh, my dear. I knew this was going to happen!" Pomfrey said, her wand passing over Florence's belly, checking on the babies. "They are in position to be born…" Pomfrey looked at Florence. "Be strong." she didn't know if those words were for Florence, Snape or herself.

"The contractions have just begun, Poppy, but… they are different… too strong too soon." Florence's voice was weak. "I'm scared. Don't let them die." her voice breaking. And she almost fainted.

"Severus, bring us some Strengthening Solution and Blood-Replenishing Draught." Pomfrey ordered. He hesitated, looking at his wife. "She'll have more chances of surviving with those potions! Go!" shouted the mediwitch.

And Snape kissed Florence's forehead before leaving the room.

* * *

In the corridor he found his children, plus Draco, Ginny, Anne, Hermione and Harry.

"What's happening, dad?" Nicholas asked, worried.

"We saw grandma running downstairs calling your name." James said.

"Your mom is in labor." Snape said.

"No!" many of them murmured.

"She's too weak… and the babies, they still have a month to go." Elizabeth said.

"I know that… but they're coming." Snape sighed. "I have to go get some potions." and he ran downstairs.

* * *

Snape returned three minutes later. Florence was still awake, but barely. He gave her the Strengthening Solution, they waited until it started to work and soon Florence was better.

"How are you? Are you conscious?" Snape asked.

"Yes." Florence whispered. "Now I am." and she made a face, shouting in pain.

"Let's push now, Florence. Let's bring these babies into the world. Breath and push, dear." Pomfrey said. "You know what to do."

* * *

It took over two hours for the first baby to be born. Stephen was the first one and he breathed as soon as Pomfrey cleaned him up. Florence laughed softly, relieved.

Thirty minutes later, Lily came out, breathing normally as well.

Florence stared at the screaming babies, one in Snape's arms, and other with Eileen and she smiled, letting the darkness take her.

"Florence!" Snape called, looking from his wife to Pomfrey.

"We knew she could faint, Severus."

"Do something!"

Pomfrey ignored his order and checked the babies.

"They are both fine. They need extreme care though. No direct sunlight, no walks outside for at least a month, no excess visiting."

"Is there any risk of them…?" he whispered.

"No. They won't die." Pomfrey smiled softly. "But her…" she looked at Florence. "We must worry about her now. She's too weak. Keep an eye on her, constantly, for the next two weeks, if she survives the night." Snape looked at Pomfrey, scared about that possibility. "We knew this could happen, Severus. She's lost too much blood. Keep giving her the Blood-Replenishing Draught every two hours and make sure she eats every three hours, only healthy food. If she feels any pain, you know what to do."

"Yes." Snape said.

"Can she breastfeed the babies?" Eileen asked.

"Yes, she has enough milk for the two of them." Pomfrey said. "But you'll have to assist her. She won't be able to hold them on her own."

Eileen nodded.

"You have to look after her, Severus. I really don't know…" Pomfrey reinforced.

"I understand, Pomfrey. And I thank you, again." he said.

"I don't want to be called next time, Severus. Make sure that there isn't a next time."

"I know. I will."

And Pomfrey left.

* * *

Snape gave Florence one more vial of Strengthening Solution and he and Eileen helped her breastfeed the babies.


	83. Chapter 83

**Chapter Eighty-Three**

**Like from Father to Son**

**A week had passed**

Florence was getting better each day; she couldn't walk too much but she was already eating by herself and breastfeeding without help.

The twins, Lily-Rose and Stephen, didn't even show that they had been born prematurely. They were healthy and ate hungrily, especially Stephen.

* * *

Although things were looking better for the Snape family, things out there were only getting worse. And, as each day went by, the final battle seemed to be getting closer.

* * *

**March 1998**

After dinner one night, Snape went to the basement lab; he had to prepare some more potions for the Order's stock. Also, he had asked James to tell Harry to come down to the lab. He needed to talk to the boy about the upcoming battle that they all hoped would be the final one.

After a few minutes he had gotten there the door was opened and Harry walked in.

"Did you call me, Prof. Snape?"

"Yes, Harry. And I'm no longer your teacher." he said, but it didn't sound as a reprisal. "You can call me Snape, if you don't feel comfortable calling me Severus."

"Ok." Harry murmured stopping by the table where Snape was working.

"Harry, what I have to tell you is not good news." Snape stopped stirring the cauldron and stared at the boy.

Harry looked back at the man in front of him. That wasn't his bully of a teacher. No. That man there was a friend who had already saved Harry's life countless times.

"But..." Snape continued. "Before I say why I called you here for... let's talk about the Elder Wand. Is the Lord still looking for it?"

"He's found it. He took it from Dumbledore's grave."

Snape nodded slowly.

"And do you know who is the real master of the Elder Wand, Harry?"

"No, sir."

"I imagined you didn't..." Snape paused before finishing: "Draco Malfoy is the real master of the Elder Wand."

"But... it was you who killed Dumbledore." said Harry, confused.

"Yes, but Draco had already disarmed Dumbledore before I got to the Tower."

"But don't you have to kill the previous owner to be the master of the Wand?"

"No."

"But, then..." Harry had a serious expression on his face. "If only disarming a person is enough..."

"Go on."

"I've disarmed Draco a few months ago. It's his the wand I'm currently using, in fact."

"So… _you_ are the master of the Elder Wand!" Snape exclaimed, thinking about the repercussion of that information; _Harry really might have a chance of surviving after all._ "This changes a lot of things. Now, I dare say, you do have a chance of getting out of this alive in the end."

"Really?" Harry asked, his eyes shining with hope.

"At least, I think so." Snape said, smiling for a moment and then getting serious again. "Now, about the mission Dumbledore's left you, how many Horcruxes are there left?"

"Two. One of them is in Hogwarts, it's Ravenclaw's Lost Diadem. Have you heard of it?" Snape nodded, a crease between his eyebrows. "And the other is Nagini." finished Harry.

"You do know that the Diadem is considered a myth, don't you?"

"No, sir."

"It's been lost for centuries now. How can you be so sure it's real and in Hogwarts?"

"I saw it in his head. The Diadem is in Hogwarts and I believe it's in the Room of Requirement."

"All right, then. We'll find a way for you to get into the castle and to the seventh floor in safety." Snape sighed. "But there's a small error with your counting, Harry. There are still three Horcruxes to be destroyed, not two."

"Three? But... Dumbledore was certain there were seven."

"No. Dumbledore always knew there were eight Horcruxes in total. He just didn't tell you because... _you_ are the third Horcrux, Harry."

"What? I'm..." the boy looked shocked and terrified.

"Yes. Dumbledore told me that before he died. The Lord unknowingly made the Horcrux that you carry. When he attacked you in your crib and Lily put herself in the middle, giving her life to save yours... it was such a violent act that his soul shattered and a part of it latched itself on the only other living thing in that nursery that night. You."

"So... I must die."

"Not only that but... it's essential that the Lord is the one to kill you." Snape stared at the boy for a moment. "Harry, I have a plan that may save your life, but I'm not entirely sure of it."

"Tell me. I'll do anything if you believe it could save me."

"Honestly? I don't think anything could really save you, Harry. But... there's a remote chance that if you sacrifice yourself, if you let him kill you without putting up a fight, if you embrace death... maybe then only the part of you that carries the Lord's soul will die. _Maybe_. It's a completely hypothetical plan but... it's all I could come up with."

"Right." Harry murmured, beginning to pace, not really knowing what to do with that new information.

They were silent for a while. Harry stopped pacing and looked at the boiling cauldrons on the big work table and smiled softly.

"You know that I've never been good at Potions... I have no talent for it and you were never easy on me... but... on my sixth year, when I had your book, I realized that it could be interesting. Potions. I almost liked it. For real." Harry looked at Snape. "If it weren't for your book I'd never have passed the class. I believe I must thank you for that."

"Granger would have helped you, I'm sure."

"Oh, well, yes. Maybe. But, what I want to say is that..." Harry looked down, looking embarrassed. "I've been thinking a lot about what my life would have been like if I had been raised by you and Florence."

"She told you." it wasn't a question.

"Yes." Harry smiled. "And I... I wish that I had, you know... I wish that you and she had raised me. Everything would have been different. I would call her mom and you... dad." he quickly looked at Snape. "And I know you wouldn't have allowed to happen not even half of the things that have happened to me. And I would never have hated you as I once did."

"Nah, you would have hated us both sometimes. Florence and I probably wouldn't have allowed you to play Quidditch on your first year. And you certainly would have hated us for that."

"True." Harry said, smiling. "But... it wouldn't have been true hate. I think it is strange that kids don't understand their parents' reasons. I've never had my parents by my side, not that I remember... so I don't understand, for example, how Ron can get so angry at Mrs. Weasley, when she only wants what's best for him."

"But that's because you see things from a different perspective, Harry. When we judge something from outside, it looks much easier than when it's something that's happening to us. We tend to think that other people's lives are easier than our own."

"I don't think for a moment that your life is easy."

"Nor I think that of yours."

And they were silent again. Only the sound of the boiling potions filled the room. Snape walked to the worktable and put out some of the fires.

"What I meant to say was..." Harry murmured looking at what Snape was doing. "If I could have chosen..." Snape turned around to stare at the boy. "I really wish I had grown up as your son."

Snape put the glass spoon he was using on the table and just looked at Harry. _He is just a boy, only 17._ Snape could remember how Nick and James were when they were 17 years old: reckless, going to parties all the time, having fun without really thinking of the consequences. And then he thought of Harry: the boy had suffered annually on Voldemort's hands since he was 11. Harry at 17 was as experienced as a Death Eater, only he'd never asked for that life.

Snape walked towards the boy and put one hand on his shoulder.

"I want you to know, Harry, that I've never hated you. I had to show that I despised you because I knew the Dark Lord would need to see those memories to trust me when the time came. And I don't want you to die, so let's have faith that my plan will work."

Harry stared at Snape and took a step forward. Snape understood and then he hugged the boy that could have been like a son to him.

* * *

**Author's note**: I can't even begin to tell you how much I love this conversation. This is one of the most special chapters for me. I love it! Hope you do too!


	84. Chapter 84

**Chapter Eighty-four**

**War - Part IV**

**March 1988**

**Hogsmeade**

What looked like the end of a calm night became hell in a few minutes.

Rosmerta was closing up the Three Broomsticks when they arrived: three men, visibly drunk, entered the bar.

"We're closed already, gentlemen." she informed them.

They looked at one another and then at her.

"But as far as we've heard… you're always open." said MacNair, maliciously.

"What are you…?" she tried to ask.

"We know you used to fool around with Snape." said McCallister.

"We want to know what you used to do for him, after all he really has great taste in women." said Nott.

"We can't get his wife. So it'll have to be you." said MacNair.

Rosmerta walked backwards trying to find somewhere to run from them.

"I don't know what you're talking about... I haven't seen Severus in years!" she was scared. "He won't lift a finger to rescue me!"

"We don't want him to come and rescue you." said Nott.

"_Stupefy_!" cast MacNair, and Rosmerta flew against the wall, reaching the floor unconscious.

The three men Disapparated, taking her with them.

* * *

**Order's Headquarters**

It was dinnertime.

Snape and Florence weren't downstairs with the others. She had already recovered from the difficult birth, but she didn't like to leave the twins, Lily and Stephen, alone not even while they were sleeping. That's why the couple was having dinner upstairs in their bedroom.

That's also why they didn't see the moment when McGonagall ran out of the fireplace downstairs, hurt, dirty and wandless.

"They're attacking Hogwarts!" she shouted. "The battle has begun!"

Everybody stood up, Molly quickly vanished all the dishes and leftovers.

"What happened?" asked Arthur.

MacGonagall sat down on the nearest chair and began to talk:

"It was a usual night but, after dinner, some Death Eaters began attacking the school! I took some of the students from there but... there are a lot of children inside yet!"

"Where are the ones you took from the castle?" Remus asked, giving her a glass of water.

"They're with Aberforth, at the Hog's Head." McGonagall said. "Where are Severus and Florence?" she asked, noticing their absence.

"They're upstairs with the twins." said James.

"We'll call them." said Nicholas.

And they ran upstairs to call their parents.

* * *

Snape and Florence had finished their dinner and were standing near the crib where Lily and Stephen were, watching the babies sleep. He was hugging his wife from behind, his chin resting on her left shoulder.

"They are so healthy; it's hard to believe that they were born prematurely." Florence murmured.

"And I'm so glad that you're healthy too." Snape said, tightening his arms around her waist. "I was so scared..." he kissed her neck.

"Shh... don't think about it, Sev." she turned around in his arms and kissed his lips "I thought I was going to lose you too. But we are both fine now."

They kissed, but were interrupted by someone knocking on the door.

"Come in." Snape said.

"Dad!" said James in a low nervous voice. "They're attacking Hogwarts!"

"What?" Snape and Florence asked together.

"McGonagall has just ran out of the fireplace downstairs." said Nicholas.

Snape sighed and quickly grabbed his wand from the nightstand.

"This was expected. The final battle must be at the castle. That's where it all must end."

"This is it then? This is the final battle?" Nicholas asked.

"Yes." confirmed Snape. "They are attacking the school to call us there. They know we're going to protect Hogwarts and its students. You two go back downstairs and call everybody who is not here yet. We'll go to the castle together." the twins nodded and left the room. Snape looked at his wife. Florence had already changed her clothes and had her wand in her hand. "Are you going somewhere?" he asked.

"Yes. I'll fight beside you. The Order needs all the help it can get. Ginny and Tonks can't go, but I can!" she replied, keeping a low voice to not wake the babies up. "Tiffany!" she called. The elf appeared less than a minute later.

"Yes, Mistress Florence?" Tiffany asked.

"Keep an eye on the babies. Eileen is looking after Chris and Sophie."

The couple left the room. Snape turned to look at the door, sealing the room with every protection spell he knew.

"What about Elizabeth?" Snape asked after finishing the enchantments.

"She's coming with us."

"What? No! Are you mad?" he held her by the arm. "You know what Lucius will do if he gets her!"

"Elizabeth is a fighter just as great as her older brothers! She can defend herself from any stupid Death Eater that tries to put his hands on her!"

"I don't want her to go!" growled Snape.

"And I don't want anyone in this family to go!" she shouted. "I don't want to see my children fighting for their lives! But it's necessary!"

"Damn it!" Snape bellowed, punching the nearest wall. He touched his forehead against the wall, his eyes closed. Florence hugged him. She knew what he was thinking: if their children had to go and fight that night it was his fault. He knew it and Florence knew it, but she would never throw such thing on his face. She kissed him and they went downstairs.

* * *

Snape send a Patronus to Aberforth telling him to meet them at the school gates in twenty minutes and to take the students along.

The members of the Order arrived. They gathered in the living room, in silence, everybody looking at Florence and Snape, waiting for their orders. So Snape spoke:

"Good night. They started to attack the castle to call our attention. The final battle is about to begin. The future, muggle and magical, is depending on tonight's outcome. We know they outnumber us, but don't let that scare you. Our main plan will be to walk in groups of three or four and attack them together." he looked around. "This may be the last time we see many of our friends alive, so let's make their death and our own worthwhile! We'll meet at Hogwarts gates. And good luck to us all." some thanked him, others replied _'Good luck.'_, while most just silently nodded. Snape looked at Harry and said: "You know what to do."

Harry nodded.

And they all Disapparated.


	85. Chapter 85

**Chapter Eighty-five**

**War - Part V **

**Hogwarts**

As soon as everybody had got to the gates, the students that had come with Aberforth and wanted to fight were divided among the groups of members of the Order already established.

Once everybody was ready, Florence reached her hand to touch the gates.

"No!" Snape shouted, holding her arm. "It's enchanted to repel anyone who tries to force it open."

"It won't repel me, Severus. I have the blood of one of the founders, remember?"

And Snape let her go. Florence touched the gate and mentally ordered it open. The gates immediately obeyed.

The big group of members of the Order and students walked inside the castle's grounds.

"It's all too quiet." said Remus.

"I know." Snape agreed. "Be ready to get ambushed."

And that was exactly what happened. Within seconds over eighty Death Eaters appeared out of nowhere and circled the members of the Order; but they didn't attack. As quickly as they had appeared, they vanished – taking Hermione and Elizabeth with them.

"NO!" many shouted.

"No! I told you Liz shouldn't have come!" Snape shouted.

"Don't start it, Severus!" Florence bellowed. "We'll find them!" she looked at Remus and then at the others. "Now each group is on its own. Stay alert, guys! This surprise attack was just to destabilize us; let's not fall for it! We all know Hogwarts like the palm of our hands, we were all students here. But remember that our enemy knows it too! Stay alert!"

And the groups separated, each group going to its previously defined direction. Harry stayed with Snape and Florence; their group also had Neville and Draco. They had to go straight to the castle. Once they passed Hagrid's Hut – which was on fire – Lucius Malfoy intercepted them.

"Severus, my friend." Lucius said. "Fancy seeing you here. By the way, I've seen your daughter and she's already reserved to me."

Snape felt his blood boiling with anger, his wand pointing at Lucius. So was Florence's. The three teens were aiming at the other Death Eaters that had appeared.

"And you!" Lucius exclaimed, looking at Draco. "My own blood betrayed me! Well, I've heard you were dating Snape's daughter... don't you worry, 'cause I'll show your girlfriend what a real man is capable of."

"_Stupefy_!" Draco cast towards him, but missed.

And the fight began, although it didn't last long. Florence and Snape easily defeated and tied down all the Death Eaters that were with Lucius; but the blond man ran away.

Their group kept on going towards the castle, where, by the sound and looks of it, a big battle had already begun.

Once they got closer to the castle, they could see a huge hole on the wall of a partially destroyed Great Hall. There were many kids lying around on the floor, some hurt, others certainly dead. Many Death Eaters were in there, fighting against the members of the Order and the students.

Bellatrix Lestrange was laughing like the crazy psychopath she was, standing on one of the long tables in the middle of the Great Hall; she was casting killing curses everywhere, not really aiming at anyone in particular.

Harry looked at Snape – a silent question in his eyes. Snape nodded and Harry ran towards the seventh floor.

Florence took a look around the Great Hall, finding her sons, James and Nicholas, fighting on the other side of the Great Hall; she also noticed that on the staff table there were three people, apparently fainted, with their arms and legs tied together and bags over their heads.

"Snape!" Bellatrix shouted. "I always knew you were a traitor! You filthy half-blood! And you, Florence!" she stared at Florence suddenly looking extremely excited for seeing her. "My Lord's daughter! I'll save you, dear! I'll kill him and all the little bastards he's forced you to conceive!"

"Shut up!" Florence shouted. "You're sick! The only one dying here is you! _Confringo_!"

Bellatrix avoided her spell and kept on casting killing curses all around the room, not caring who she hit, friend or foe.

"You're completely out of your..." Florence began to say, but then they all heard:

"NO!" someone shouted. "My son!

It was Molly Weasley, kneeling on the floor, crying over someone's still body. Florence and Snape ran there. It was Ronald; he was dead.

Bellatrix chose that moment to aim her next curse, Snape being her target. Florence noticed, but Snape didn't.

"_Avada Kedavra_!" shouted the deranged woman, looking at Florence with a smile on her face.

"No! Severus!" and Florence threw herself in front of the killing curse meant for her husband.

"NO!" Snape and his twin sons shouted, the three of them desperately running to where she had fallen, falling on their knees by her side. "Florence! Open up your eyes! Come on! You said you were immune to it! Wake up! NOW!" he shouted at his wife, cradling her in his arms.

"MOM!" the twins shouted. "Wake up!"

Then Voldemort's voice was heard:

"You have fought,"' said the high, cold voice, "valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery. Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat, immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured. I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."

Bellatrix and the other Death Eaters ran from the Great Hall through the huge hole in the wall.

Everybody looked around, not knowing what to say or do.

And then Harry entered the Great Hall, running. The Ravenclaw Diadem in one hand, looking burnt, and a basilisk fang in the other. Both objects hit the floor the moment his eyes fell on Florence and Ron, both fainted on the floor; Molly and Snape both looking desperate as did the twins, James and Nicholas.

Suddenly Florence gasped and opened her eyes. Snape and his sons sighed with immense relief.

"Harry." Snape called once he saw him, and Harry went towards him. "Did you find it?"

"Yes, sir. And I've destroyed it already. Now there is only the snake left. How is Florence?"

"She's fine, she's breathing." James said.

"You know what you have to do now, don't you, Harry?" Snape asked.

"Yes, I know." Harry took a deep breath. "I'll do exactly as you've planned, sir. I know it'll work, I trust you."

"I'll be waiting for you in this room to declare our victory, Harry. I'll find a way to get Nagini's head off."

"I'll be here to see that!" Harry said smiling.

"I really hope so, Harry." Snape said.

Harry nodded and left the Great Hall.

Florence blinked, trying to focus her sight.

"How are you, mom?" Nicholas asked, worried.

"I'm fine... just a bit dizzy. Severus," she looked at him. "Where's Harry? I thought I had heard his voice just now."

"He destroyed one more Horcrux. Now, all he have to do is cut Nagini's head off..."

"Where's Harry?" she asked again, getting preocupied.

"He has left to go meet with your father."

"Oh, Sev, I really hope the plan works." she murmured, sitting up. "What will we do if he dies?"

"At least your father will die with him." Snape murmured.

"But that won't be a final solution… he'll come back if we don't destroy Nagini. Speaking of him… I heard my father's voice before. What will we do while we wait?"

"We must help those who are injured and... wait." Snape said, helping her to stand up.

Florence looked at Molly.

"Oh, no! Ron is...?"

"Yes." James said.

Florence walked towards Molly, hugging her.

Snape went to the staff table, checking if the three prisoners were still alive.

"Elizabeth!" he exclaimed as he took the bag from the first prisoner's head. "Florence, come here!" he called.

Florence saw her daughter and ran towards them.

"Liz!" she exclaimed. "How is she?" she started to untie her daughter's hands and legs.

"She's has blood on her hair… I think they hit her over the head. Let's take her to Pomfrey. And the other two as well."

Snape carried his daughter in his arms while Florence made the other two still bagged prisoners float behind them and they walked to the Hospital Wing.

* * *

Florence opened the door of the infirmary, calling:

"Poppy! Are you in here?"

"Flor! Severus! I'm so glad to see you two! How is Minerva? When she left here earlier she was badly hurt."

"She's fine." Snape said putting Elizabeth on one of the beds.

"Oh, my dear Liz..." Pomfrey said, checking the fainted girl.

Florence put the other two prisoners on beds too.

And then Voldemort's voice was heard again:

"Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone.

Snape and Florence stared at each other, shocked.

"It didn't work." she whispered.

Snape ran his hand through his hair, visibly shaken.

Voldemort continued:

"The battle is won. You have lost half of your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you and the Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle, now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live, and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together.'

Silence.

No one spoke a word all over Hogwarts.

Florence looked at her husband, no longer holding back the tears that were falling down her face.

"What will we do now?" she asked him.

"We'll go to the Great Hall and... we'll fight until..." he stopped talking and looked at Pomfrey. "Take care of Elizabeth, Pomfrey." the mediwitch nodded. "Flor, please, stay here." he begged.

"No! I won't let you go there by yourself!"

"But if the both of us die... think about the kids." he pleaded.

Florence got closer to him, stopping in front of him, his face in her hands.

"We're not going to die, Sev. We didn't get this far to die! NO! We'll win! There's only Nagini left! We can and we must win!"

He grabbed her waist, pulled her against his body and kissed her passionately. Then the two of them ran back to the Great Hall.

* * *

**Author's note:** Only two more chapters and the Epilogue to go! Ah, and Voldemort's lines were taken straight from book seven.


	86. Chapter 86

**Chapter Eighty-six**

**War – Part VI**

When Voldemort, followed by Death Eaters and Hagrid – who carried Harry in his arms, walked into the destroyed Great Hall, it was as if everybody stopped breathing.

The Death Eaters stopped beside their Master and Voldemort stared at all the people there.

"No!" people began to scream. "Harry! NO!"

Snape and Florence entered the Great Hall and stopped once they saw Harry, apparently dead in the arms of a sobbing Hagrid.

Voldemort stared at the couple, smiling.

"And here are who I was missing. You know, it really intrigued me the fact that you nearly sacrificed yourself to save the half-blood, Florence. Nagini's poison doesn't kill you, but it could've killed the little bastard you were carrying." then he looked at the crowd and said reproachingly: "I don't see any of you on your knees."

People started to shout.

"SILENCE!" ordered Voldemort and everybody lost their voice. "It's over! Put him on the ground, Hagrid, right at my feet, where he belongs." and Hagrid slowly put Harry down onto floor. "See? Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand it now, you fools? He was nothing; he was just a boy, a boy who trusted you would all sacrifice your lives for him."

"He's defeated you many times!" shouted Dino Thomas, breaking the silence spell and everybody began shouting once more.

Voldemort cast the silence spell again, stronger this time, and said angrily:

"He was killed while trying to run away from the castle. He was caught trying to save his own life!"

And then Snape couldn't take that bullshit anymore, he attacked Voldemort and the fight began once more. But soon Snape were immobilized by Bellatrix, Nott and Voldemort.

"Severus, Severus…" said Voldemort walking in front of Snape – who had been tied magically and put down on his knees. "So you'll be the one to demonstrate to the others what happens when you insist on fighting an already lost battle."

"No!" said Florence running towards them.

Voldemort looked at her.

"Don't you worry, my daughter, I wouldn't stain my hands with your husband's filthy blood." Voldemort said. And with a flick of his wand something flew into the Great Hall. He grabbed and shook it, showing everybody what it was: the Sorting Hat.

"There'll be no more selection at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There'll be no more Houses. Only the crest and colors of the House of my ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, shall remain." Voldemort looked at Snape, who was still bond and on his knees. "Don't you agree, Severus?" and he put the Sorting Hat on Snape's head and pointed his wand at it.

Snape closed his eyes.

Florence had her wand pointed at her father, her eyes going from the bizarre scene in front of her to the snake. She knew she couldn't attack him, if she killed him he would only return, because they still had to get rid of Nagini.

Then Voldemort set fire to the Sorting Hat. At the same time a loud noise was heard and a horde of centaurs came running into the Great Hall, stepping on many Death Eaters and neighing furiously. The fight restarted.

Florence muttered a _Finite incantatem_ and Snape was set free from the Bonding Spell. He quickly stood up and threw the still-on-fire Sorting Hat towards Neville.

"Longbottom!" Snape called. "Ask for the sword!"

The boy nodded, closed his eyes, put his hand inside the burnt Hat, and from there he took the sword of Godric Gryffindor. Snape sighed in relief and pointed at Nagini, shouting:

"Kill the snake!"

Neville looked at him, confused for a moment but did as he was told. He ran and attacked the snake furiously. The noise of the sword cutting off Nagini's head couldn't be heard amongst the loud battle cries; but Voldemort's sudden scream could. And when the snake's head hit the floor, everybody stopped fighting and looked at him.

That was the moment Snape noticed that Harry's body was gone.

"Harry?" he called, looking around. "HARRY! Where is Harry?"

Voldemort looked around and realized the boy could still be alive, so he went looking for him.

And the chaos reigned; the centaurs made the remaining Death Eaters run, screaming and trying not to be stepped on, while the members of the Order attacked some of the Death Eaters that still tried to fight.

Suddenly big winged creatures entered the Great Hall through the destroyed ceiling. The testrals had arrived, lead by Buckbeak, and began attacking the already panicking Death Eaters.

Through the two big oak doors, a horde of house elves entered the Great Hall, screaming, raising their knives and cleavers. They attacked the Death Eaters' ankles and legs.

Then, finally, the Death Eaters were starting to lose. But the battle was far from ending. Florence and Snape tried to protect the children who had insisted on fighting. And so did Remus and some of the Weasleys that were still able to fight.

Yaxley was killed by Fred and George.

Flitwick killed Dolohov.

Snape didn't miss the chance to end Shacklebolt's life – who was there fighting for the Order.

Walden Macnair cast an _Avada Kedavra_ that hit Percy Weasley, and he was killed by Hagrid right after.

Draco knocked out his own father and Snape cast the spell that ended Lucius' life.

Narcissa Malfoy helped Bill Weasley and Oliver Wood to defeat her own sister, but Florence noticed that the three of them were losing and entered the duel herself.

"Flor… my dear." said Bellatrix. "What will happen to your children when I kill you? And that pretty baby! What was her name? Sophie! Yes. The Lord liked her. I'll spare her and be like a mother to her!"

"Shut up! You twisted fuck! You'll never touch my children!" shouted Florence.

Bellatrix laughed like a lunatic.

Florence attacked:

"_Avada Kedavra_!"

And the green ray of light hit Bellatrix right on her chest. The woman stopped laughing and her eyes popped out, as if she had realized what had happened, then she fell onto the floor, dead. The crowd went wild and Voldemort appeared, pointing his wand at his daughter.

Everybody stopped to watch them.

"So, do you remember anything from your trainings?" asked Voldemort. "Do you remember that you've never managed to defeat me?"

"There's always a first time for everything." Florence replied.

But before any of them could have cast a spell, Harry appeared between them.

"NO!" he shouted. "I don't want to see anyone else dying for me." he looked at Florence. "He must die and he will die, but it has to be me who kill him."

Florence nodded and took some steps back towards her husband.

Harry turned around to face Voldemort, who laughed ironically.

"Potter… still alive. Insistent brat. Why don't you die?" he stopped laughing. "But you can't be serious; you're not going to fight me yourself, will you? No, this is not how you usually act, is it? Look around and choose; who will you use as a shield? Who else will die for you today?"

"Nobody! There are no more Horcruxes! Now it's just you and me. You won't kill anyone else tonight. You won't ever be able to hurt anyone again!" shouted Harry.

"How are you alive?" shouted Voldemort angrily.

"You don't get it, do you?" said Harry. "I was willing to die to save my friends."

"But you didn't die!"

"But I accepted to die to save them; and that's what makes all the difference! Actually, you can thank Snape for this plan."

"Severus!" Voldemort looked at Snape and then at Florence who stood by her husband's side. Then he gave a twisted smiled and laughed. "Is it _love_, again?" he snorted. "Dumbledore's favorite solution… _love_. Which he believed could conquer death. Although _love_ didn't stop him from falling off the Astronomy Tower like and old wax rag doll. _Love_ didn't stop me from killing your filthy muggle mother, Potter! And now, no one seems to _love_ you enough to put themselves between you and me. So what will stop you from dying this time, Potter?" he pointed his wand at Harry.

"Another of Dumbledore's plans."

"All the old man's plans have failed, Potter! Haven't you realized it yet?"

"They've _apparently_ failed. _Riddle_."

"You dare call me…"

"Yes, I do!" shouted Harry. "I know some things that you ignore. Magic that you've never tried to understand."

"You think you know more about magic then I do? I'm capable of things not even Dumbledore dared to dream of, Potter!"

"Oh, he dreamed about them. Only he was cleverer than you. He knew there were certain powers that he shouldn't try to use."

"Dumbledore is dead! It makes no difference now. He tried to stop me from possessing the Elder Wand, he wanted Snape to be the Wand's Master but I killed him! Florence may have brought him back, but I did kill him! Now the Wand is mine. Dumbledore's last plan failed, Harry Potter!"

"Yes. It did. Only... it failed for you, Riddle, not for me." Voldemort's hand shook slightly. "The Wand is still not working properly for you, is it? That's because you've killed the wrong person. Snape was never the Master of the Elder Wand. He never defeated Dumbledore."

"Snape killed Dumbledore…" said Voldemort.

"Aren't you listening?" shouted Harry. "Snape never defeated Dumbledore! Dumbledore's death was planned between the two of them! The power of the Elder Wand was supposed to die with Dumbledore!"

"So Dumbledore practically gave me the Wand! I took it from his grave! Its power is mine!"

"You can't understand it, can you? To possess the Wand is not enough! _The wand chooses the wizard_! The Elder Wand recognized a new Master before Dumbledore's death. Someone who never even touched it. Someone who never knew about it. The true Master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy.

Voldemort looked confused for a moment, but then he spoke:

"It doesn't matter, now! After I kill you, I'll get rid of Draco."

"No. It's too late, now. You've lost your chance. I defeated Draco a few weeks ago." And the silence reigned, while Voldemort absorbed Harry's words.

"Does the Wand in your hand know her last Master has been defeated?" Harry asked softly. "Because if it does… it knows that I am its true Master."

Voldemort didn't wait another minute:

"_Avada kedavra_!" he cast.

"_Expelliarmus_!" cast Harry.

And both rays collided in the middle and seemed to stand in the air for a while. Then the green ray of power ran back to Voldemort. The Elder Wand escaped from his grasp and flew through the air towards Harry.

Harry grabbed it and all the lights went off.

The destroyed Great Hall was silent for a few seconds. But then everybody realized what had just happened: Voldemort was dead; and that time it was forever.

People hugged and shouted in happiness.

The remaining Death Eaters were stupefied and tied.

Florence and Snape ran towards Harry, who was still on the same spot, on his knees. Florence kneeled beside him and hugged him, kissing his dirty face.

"You did it, my dear! You did it! You killed him and you're alive!"

Snape helped them up and he hugged Harry as well.

"If I were you, I'd want peace and quiet right now." murmured Snape.

"Yes. I'd like to sleep for a year." the boy said.

"Put on you invisibility cloak and come with us." said Snape.

"Come with us to the place that should've been your home." said Florence.

"Lead the way! I'll be right behind you." said Harry, putting on the cloak.

"We must stop by the Hospital Wing first. Elizabeth is there and the others were taken there as well."

"I'd like to go to Dumbledore's office..." Harry said, uncovering his head. "I want to talk to his portrait."

"Go, dear. We'll meet again at the Hospital Wing's door, ok?" asked Florence.

Harry nodded and covered himself with the cloak again.

* * *

When Snape and Florence arrived at the Hospital Wing, Elizabeth was already conscious and had only a few bruises, nothing serious.

"How are the others, Poppy?" asked Florence.

"Flitwick will need to go to St. Mungus." said Pomfrey. "But I believe he'll survive. As for Rosmerta..."

"Who?" Florence interrupted.

"Madam Rosmerta." repeated Pomfrey. "She was one of the hostages that you brought here earlier."

"No way!" shouted Florence. "I can't believe it! I helped save her?!"

"Calm down, love." said Snape, trying not to laugh. "And how is she, Pomfrey?"

"_What_?!" Florence shouted before punching her husband's jaw, making him fall onto the floor. "How dare you ask about her health?"

At that moment, James and Nicholas walked into the Hospital Wing carrying some hurt students. They dropped the students on clean beds and went towards their parents.

"Why is dad on the floor?" asked James.

"It doesn't matter." said Florence, pulling the twins for a hug. "I'm so glad to see you two are unharmed."

"Elizabeth is fine, she can leave. And I'll have to ask all of you who don't need medical assistance to leave the Hospital Wing, Florence." said Pomfrey. "There are already too many people in here. And, Nicholas, dear, if you could call the St. Mungus, I'd be grateful."

Nicholas nodded and Disapparated.

Snape, Florence, Elizabeth and James walked out of the Hospital Wing.


	87. Chapter 87

**Chapter Eighty-seven**

**It's finally over**

The aurors had arrived and the Great Hall was emptied. The bodies of those who fought for the Order were sent to their respective families. The Death Eaters who were still alive were tied down and sent to Azkaban. The dead Death Eaters were sent to the prison's cemetery, and buried as enemies.

Voldemort's body was never recovered for it had turned to dust the moment the spell hit him.

* * *

**Meanwhile, by the doors of Hogwarts' Hospital Wing**

Florence and Snape were still in the corridor, waiting for Harry. Their children had already gone home, and Draco and Narcissa Malfoy had gone with them. From afar, they could hear the shouts of happiness and the fireworks that were being fired in Hogsmeade.

"Tonight you've saved someone very important for the Hogsmeade Village, Flor." teased Snape, his hand still touching his bruised jaw.

"Shut up, Severus! I can't believe I saved that stupid bitch."

"Hey, you don't have to speak of her like that." he kept on annoying her.

"Oh, please, just shut it! Do you want me to hit you again? You used to sleep with her." she said accusingly.

"Well, I could say that now we're even. For I tried to save the dog's life and I you used to sleep with him."

"WHAT?!" shouted Florence. "I never slept with Sirius!"

"Really? So tell me how would he have ever believed that the twins were his?"

"He always knew they were yours, Severus!"

"Oh, please, he stayed by your side all the time..." he wasn't believing her.

"Because he loved me and didn't want to let me handle that situation all by myself! When I told him I was pregnant, he immediately offered to be a dad for the kids. While you were out in the world playing the _all-mighty-dark-lord-of-all_!" she mocked him angrily.

He didn't reply immediately. Then he asked:

"What about Lupin?"

"What about him?"

"Did you sleep with him?"

"What do you think I am!?" she shouted furiously. "I can't believe we're having this conversation! After 30 years of marriage you are questioning me!"

"I am not questioning you! I am just... curious."

"_Curious_ about how many men I've slept with?"

"Well, yes. It's a common curiosity..."

"You ignorant sexist!" she shouted and stared at the window, ignoring him.

"So?" he insisted.

"_So_... what?" she looked at him, her eyes filled with annoyance.

"How many... ?"

"Unfortunately only you! You arsehole!" she tried not to shout. "I can't believe you're asking me that."

"Really?" he asked, one eyebrow raised.

She closed her eyes, trying to calm down.

"Look at us." she said. "We're covered in blood, dirt, and Merlin knows what else; the war ended five minutes ago and you're asking me that kind of thing by the doors of a full Hospital Wing! I am beyond tired, you're hurt and I have two one-month-old babies at home to feed. YOUR CHILDREN, by the way!" she shouted, accusingly. "Please, shut up. Let's wait for Harry in silence. Then you'll help me Apparate home and all I want is a long hot bath. And you can stick your stupid jealousy up your..." Snape stopped her talking by kissing her, long and lovingly.

"I am sorry if I annoyed you." he murmured against her lips. "I just had to know."

"Ok, Severus." she sighed, letting her head rest against his chest; she listened to his heartbeat in silence for a while, feeling so thankful that he was still alive, that they were both alive and their family was still complete. "Are you sure the kids are all fine and at home?"

"Yes. Even Draco and Narcissa are there already. James sent me a Patronus. They're hurt, but fine. Nicholas Apparated to Remus' house to get the twins, Chris, Sophie and my mom. They're all at home as well."

"What about Lucius and Shacklebolt?" two threats they still had to worry about.

"They are both dead." and Snape smiled when he said that. "Their bodies were found under the wreckage in the Great Hall."

"And I am certain you had absolutely nothing to do with their misfortune." she said, smiling too.

Suddenly they felt a presence and Harry's head appeared in the middle of the air by their side.

"Sorry it took me so long..." the boy said, taking off the invisibility cloak.

"Don't worry, dear." Florence took his hand. "Severus. Let's go home." she smiled to her husband, it felt so good to say that; after months of living in different places they were finally going back home.

And they Disapparated.

* * *

**At the Snape's Family House in Hogsmeade**

Snape, Florence and Harry walked into the house and removed their coats and shoes, leaving them with Melody downstairs. Florence asked the elf to prepare one of the guest rooms for Harry.

Then her husband and she hugged Harry good night and walked upstairs to their bedroom. Florence put one foot inside the room and the twins began to cry.

"You can leave, Tif. Thanks for everything." she said.

The little elf bowed and disappeared.

Snape locked the door and looked at the crying babies.

"Come clean yourself up, wash your hands and take off those dirty clothes." said Florence, going to the bathroom.

"Why?"

"Because you're going to distract your kids while I get inside the bathtub."

Florence turned on the bathtub faucet, took off her clothes and sat inside the tub once it was almost completely filled.

Meanwhile Snape was talking to the twin babies, but they didn't fall for their father's babbling for long - soon they were both crying again.

"What do I do now?" asked Snape.

"Bring them to me." Florence replied, feeling her muscles starting to relax in the hot water.

And he walked into the bathroom with the twins in his arms. Florence fed first Stephen and then Lily.

Snape watched his daughter being breastfed while Stephen lay asleep in his arms. He felt completely taken by that moment of love and tender care.

"Flor?" he whispered.

"What?"

"I love you." he bent forward to kiss her lips softly.

Florence smiled and touched his face lovingly.

"I love you too, Sev. A lot."

* * *

**Meanwhile, inside another bedroom on that same floor**

Draco lay almost naked on the bed in the bedroom the elves had prepared for him. He had already showered and was wearing only a pair of briefs.

Elizabeth was taking care of her very injured boyfriend. She cleaned up and covered his cuts and bruises.

Draco couldn't deny that Liz's soft and delicate hands were having an effect on his body, such effect could be clearly seen and felt, if she'd only put her hands below his navel.

Elizabeth gave him a sexy smile when she saw the bulge in his briefs. Little did Draco know that she hadn't been well-intentioned when she offered to help him clean his wounds. She began kissing his chest, going slowly down, when she kissed his bellybutton he couldn't take it anymore.

"Liz. Stop." he gasped.

"No, love. I must finish taking care of your wounds." she said innocently, then she resumed her kisses, only now her tongue started tasting his clean skin.

"Elizabeth, you must stop. Now." he was dying to touch her. Those few years that made him older than her forced him to keep on avoiding any sexual advances; also, the fact that his godfather would skin him alive - with the assistance of his two younger copies - helped him keep his hands to himself and his dick inside his pants. But Elizabeth was so beautiful and sexy. And right then she was licking him!

She put her hand on his dick, only the fabric of his briefs was separating his skin from her hand.

"Liz. I can't… "

"Don't you want me?" she softly asked.

"_Want you_? Merlin, Liz! You're killing me here! I want you more than I've ever desired anything or anyone in my life!"

"So, take me."

He closed his eyes, trying not to think of what those words meant.

"Liz. I can't. We shouldn't..."

She decided to take more action; she pulled his briefs to the side and touched his dick. He moaned and stared at her delicate hand around him.

"It's so hard and hot…" she whispered sexily.

She got closer to his dick and, looking into his eyes, ran her tongue over the dark red head of his cock. Draco moaned and sat on the bed, quickly grabbing her and throwing her on the bed, putting his body over hers, between her legs. He kissed her, their tongues battling, his hands pulling the nightgown off her body, over her head. Then he realized she was naked; she hadn't been wearing any kind of undergarments underneath her nightgown. Nothing was hiding her delicious petite body from his eyes.

"You're so gorgeous." he murmured.

"I'm all yours." she replied.

He looked at her body, noticing how beautifully she blushed under his scrutiny.

He slowly touched her stomach, going down her bellybutton, caressing her skin. Liz softly moaned when he touched her inner thighs. He kissed her lips again, and left a trail of kisses down her neck, getting to her breasts and slowly licking her skin, and when his mouth closed around a taut nipple, she moaned louder.

"Oh, wait!" she said, suddenly remembering something. She got her wand from the nightstand and cast: "_Muffliato_." then she let her wand fall off the bed onto the floor and lay down again.

Draco smiled and kept on pleasuring her body. He licked her nipples, while touching her thighs, making her gasp and moan. He sucked hard on one nipple and then tugged on it gently with his teeth. Elizabeth screamed in pleasure, asking for more.

"No one can hear us, Liz. No one will stop us." he said. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

"Yes!" she nearly shouted. "I love you. I want you so much it hurts. At night, I usually lay down on my bed and touch myself while dreaming of you, your hands touching me, your lips, your skin. Your body taking mine…" she moved under him, her body touching his.

Draco growled, feeling his cock twitch. He quickly took off his briefs and positioned himself between her sprawled legs. He caressed her thighs while kissing her skin, going near her center, he could see how wet she was and smell her desire. He needed to touch her, to be sure she was ready for him, he would never forgive himself if he hurt her. One finger touched her opening, slowly teasing her.

"Draco." she moaned. "Oh, please. Do something!" she begged.

Then he positioned himself between her legs, supporting himself on his forearms, and slowly pushed into her, feeling her stretch around him, savoring the feeling of claiming her as his. He felt her body tense below his.

"Am I hurting you?" he asked.

"It's hurting a bit…" she whispered, her eyes closed.

He stopped moving and kissed her lips softly, making her relax. Then he felt the moment the pain stopped, for the power of her _veela_ blood enveloped his body, increasing his desire, making him lose control. Draco surged forward, putting himself completely inside of her. Liz moaned loudly.

"I'm sorry…" he gasped. "I can't control myself… you're so tight, hot and wet." he finished in a growl, moving his hips twice.

"Don't worry. Don't stop." she moaned, feeling her own body flooded with desire.

And he didn't. He made love to her, as slowly as he could. They could hear their hearts beating as one, so loud they had the impression everyone could hear them too.

But nothing interrupted them.

* * *

**In the next morning**

Florence woke up by the crying of the twins. She got up to feed them.

Snape woke up when he felt her leaving the bed, he sat on the bed and watched her breastfeeding their children.

"Good morning, Sev." she walked to him, kissed him and put a sleepy Stephen in his arms before going back towards the crib to get Lily.

"Is breakfast ready?" he asked.

"Yes. But all the kids are still asleep." she burped Lily and took the girl to her father. "I'll get dressed and check on Harry and Draco." she went to the bathroom.

Snape put a spell around the bed so the twins wouldn't fall and followed his wife. She was by the sink, putting her hair up in a loose bun. He hugged her from behind, staring at their reflection.

"Can you believe it's really over?" she asked, smiling.

"No. But look at this." he showed her his left forearm, in the place where the Dark Mark used to be there was only a shadow of it, almost imperceptible.

"It's gone."

"It's not only gone, Flor. The last time it had become pale but it reappeared when your father came back. Now, it's like a scar. If you touch it you'll feel that there is something."

Then Florence touched his Dark Mark for the first time and felt his skin was rougher where the Mark had been magically burnt on.

She smiled and they shared a passionate kiss.

* * *

**In Draco's bedroom**

Elizabeth woke up and stretched lazily, feeling some weight on her waist. She smiled and turned to face her boyfriend. Draco was still asleep. So she got out of the bed slowly and went to the bathroom. There she looked at her reflection in the mirror, noticing her red lips and the love marks on her neck, thighs and breasts. She touched her naked skin and shivered in pleasure, remembering his touches and the way he had felt inside her body.

But sudden knocks on the bedroom door brought her back to reality, making her remember they were in her family home and her father and brothers were also there.

She ran back to the bedroom and put on a bathrobe.

Draco was already awake, sitting on the bed, looking terrified.

"Someone's at the door." he whispered. "I heard it. Who do you think it is?"

Liz didn't reply, she just looked at the door and put the _Muffliato_ spell down, before getting close to it, deciding if she should open it or not.

* * *

Florence got dressed and left her bedroom towards Harry's room. She slowly opened the door and peeked inside; he was still sleeping soundly. She didn't wake him up, he deserved to rest. After she went towards Draco's room. But as she passed by her daughter's room she noticed its door was open and when she looked inside she could see that the room was empty and the bed perfectly made.

"Tiffany." Florence called.

The elf appeared.

"Yes, Mistress."

"Have you already organized Liz's bedroom this morning?"

Tiffany blushed and stared at her small feet before looking at both sides of the corridor and answering in a very low voice:

"Mistress Liz didn't sleep in her room last night." then she pointed to Draco's room. "She slept in there."

"Thank you, Tiff. And please, keep it a secret, ok?"

"Absolutely, Mistress Florence."

Florence knocked on Draco's door and felt when a spell was put down minutes later.

"I know you're in there, Elizabeth." she whispered, keeping an eye on the corridor.

She heard quick steps inside the room and the door was opened.

"Mom…" Liz started.

"Don't say anything, Elizabeth. Run to your room before your father or any of your brothers see you leaving this room."

And the girl obeyed, running to her room.

Florence looked into the room and saw Draco on the bed, the sheets covering his lap, his face paler than normal, looking terrified.

"You're lucky it wasn't Severus who came looking for Elizabeth, Draco."

Then she closed the door and went to her daughter's room. When she walked in, Elizabeth was already dressed and sitting on the bed. The girl looked at her mother and smiled a big satisfied smile.

"Keep smiling like that and your father will know you had sex your boyfriend right under his nose. Nothing can possibly save Draco from your dad's wrath, Liz." she sat beside her daughter on the bed.

"It was so amazing, mom. So intense. And I waited for it for so long."

"I know how it is, love. I remember my first time. It's really incredible when it happens with someone you love."

"And I don't need to hear about it." Elizabeth said, making a face. "I obviously know you and dad have sex, after all there are seven of us in this house. But I really don't need to hear about it."

"Don't worry. I won't put you through that hardship." Florence joked. "But we must worry about Draco's safety. If your father finds out…"

"I don't know why dad is do overprotective with me!" exclaimed Liz. "He's not like that with Nick and Jamie!"

"Liz. You were the first child your father accompanied from the beginning of the pregnancy. You were the first one he saw being born. And you're a girl. You can be sure he'll be just as overprotective with Sophie and Lily."

"What do you think he'll do to Draco?"

"I don't think you'd like to know, dear." Florence stood up. "Anyway, your father is already downstairs waiting for us to have breakfast together. Let's go. And you have to stop smiling. And close your mind."

"I know, mom.'  
Then they walked downstairs.

* * *

Snape was in the backyard porch reading the Daily Prophet, a double-stroller with the baby twins was by his side. He saw when Florence and their daughter walked downstairs, so he walked inside with the babies.

"Good morning, dad!"

"Morning, Lizzie." he hugged his daughter.

They sat at the big family table, which was already full of delicious breakfast food.

Soon Harry walked down the stairs. Draco following him.

Liz looked at her boyfriend and couldn't contain the smile and the blush that took over her face.

Snape looked at Draco and then at his daughter. Liz's eyes were shining, the smile on her face was different from any other smile he had ever seen on her lips. And she was blushing. Suddenly he understood what had happened.

Florence noticed the moment her husband had realized what had happened.

"Severus, don't." Florence said seconds before her husband got up from his chair.

Draco stopped in the middle of the stairs, looking at his godfather, sensing he was in great danger.

"Come down here, Draco." ordered Snape.

Elizabeth tried to get up but Florence magically stopped her with a hand movement.

Harry watched the scene with curiosity.

Suddenly Draco ran back upstairs, trying to get to his bedroom. He passed by the twins in the corridor. But James realized something was wrong and stopped Draco from getting into his bedroom and reaching his wand.

"What's happening, Malfoy? What did you do?" asked James, pushing him against the wall.

Snape soon appeared in the corridor. Florence and Elizabeth behind him.

"Dad, please." said Liz.

"Severus." Florence called.

But he ignored them. He kept his eyes on Draco.

"I will kill you." he finally said.

"Godfather, I…" Draco tried to speak, but he was terrified. On the right he had James holding his arm, on the left Nicholas was staring at him and Snape was in front of him. "I didn't… Liz, she…"

"Are you trying to blame my daughter for what you have done?" Snape nearly shouted.

Then the twins understood what had happened.

"You son of a bitch!" shouted James, punching Draco on the stomach.

"Jamie, stop!" Liz screamed.

"She was cleaning up my wounds when…" Draco tried to explain.

"Shut up! You bastard!" growled Snape.

"I did warn you, Malfoy! I told you I'd hurt you if you ever hurt my sister!" said James.

"You said you'd kill me if I hurt her, yes. But I haven't done anything she didn't want me to."

"You probably forced her!" Snape shouted.

"Severus!" Florence called. "You're not thinking of what you're saying!"

But, again, he ignored her.

"Liz is just and innocent girl!" he continued. "You must have filled her head with lies and…"

Then Nicholas started to laugh, looking at his sister.

Everybody looked at him.

"Sorry, dad. But Liz is not an innocent little girl anymore. Look at her! She's becoming a beautiful woman."

James looked at his sister and released Draco's arm. He had to agree with his brother.

"Liz, did he force you to do anything?" James asked her.

"No! If anyone was forced into anything, it was him!" she said. "He didn't seduce me. In fact, he wanted me to stop, so I had to seduce him!"

Snape closed his eyes; he didn't want to hear that. He was furious; he wanted to rip Draco's dirty hands off and beat him with them!

Florence noticed a disaster could happen soon so she cast a silent _Accio_ and made Snape's wand fly to her own hand discreetly.

"Dad! Stop this! You're being ridiculous!" exclaimed Elizabeth.

But he didn't seem to hear. He put his hand into his pocket to get his wand and noticed it wasn't there. He turned to face his wife and saw it on her hand.

"Severus, look at your daughter! She has grown up! She's not your little girl anymore!" Florence said.

He quickly looked at Elizabeth and he saw what Florence was talking about. She wasn't the little girl who used to wake him up every morning he was at home. She had grown up and was as gorgeous as her mother. But realizing that didn't lessen his fury any bit. He looked at his wife again.

"Give me back my wand, Florence, or I'll take it from you!"

"Ooh, now that'd be good to watch!" said James.

"I bet ten on mom." said Nicholas.

"I'm not giving you your wand." Florence tried not to laugh. "You're acting like when we were at school, fighting James and Sirius by the lake! You're out of your mind!"

"Wait, what? You two fought against Sirius? How come we've never heard of it!?" asked James.

"Yeah. Uncle Sirius never told us anything!" complained Nicholas.

"That's because he probably didn't remember a thing, since mom knocked him out with a tree." said Elizabeth.

"A tree?!" exclaimed the twins in unison.

Snape looked at Draco again, knowing he wouldn't be able to get his wand from his wife.

"Are you aware of what you've done? Now you must fulfill your responsibilities to my daughter."

"It'll be my pleasure to marry her." replied Draco, suddenly realizing the double meaning of his words.

"Get away from my sight." Snape growled.

And Draco entered his bedroom and quickly closed the door, without looking back.

"Now we want to know all about that fight by the lake." said James.

"I'll tell you." said Elizabeth, noticing their parents wanted to be alone to talk.

The twins followed their sister downstairs.

"Here." Florence said, handing Snape his wand. "I hope you understand why I took it from you."

"I understand." he said reluctantly, looking at the closed door of Draco's room.

Florence smiled and held her husband's arm, and pulled him to walk with her through the corridor, away from that room.

"You told Liz that about our fight by the lake." he said.

"Yes. She asked me once how did we meet and, as I knew she hated Sirius, I told her about the fight. She loved it." Florence stopped him and looked into his eyes. "Don't be mad at me because of Liz and Draco."

"I am not mad at you. I'm mad at myself. Liz has always been my little girl…"

"I know, Sev… I understand you. But we knew one day this was going to happen."

He didn't reply. Florence pulled his face towards her own and kissed him.

"Let's wake up Chris?"

"Let's. But I have to see Sophie, I need to see my daughter before she's old enough to be caught in the arms of some stupid boyfriend." he murmured.

Florence laughed and they walked to Sophie's bedroom.

* * *

Florence and Snape took Sophie and Chris downstairs and the family had breakfast together. They were safe and happy. They were at home. Harry was at home. Finally, all was well.

**THE END**


End file.
